Mungaoli, Kolaras by-polls peaceful, turnout 75%

Bhopal/Shivpuri : Heavy polling was recorded in the by-polls for two assembly seats in the state on Saturday, while voter turnout in Mungaoli was 77. 25 per cent, around 72.82 per cent people exercised their franchise in Kolaras. Average voting for the two seats stood at 75 per cent. Polling passed off peacefully in the two constituencies and no major untoward incident was reported, said Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Salina Singh. Counting of votes would be undertaken on February 28

CEO Singh said that in Mungaoli 77.25 per cent polling was reported till 5 pm and around 74 per cent women voters cast their votes, which was 5 per cent less than their male counterparts. In Kolaras, 69.69 per cent polling was registered till 6 pm, but due long queues the voting continued till 7.20 pm at 186 polling centers. As per the figure recorded at 8 pm 72.82 per cent turnout was registered in the constituency. Over 67.09 per cent female voters exercised their franchise, while 73.30 per cent men turned out for the voting. The number of third gender voter is three.

She informed that Mungaoli Town Inspector (TI) Kushal Singh Bhadoria was removed from his post on Friday night.  In a complaint to the Election Commission, the observer had stated that the TI was working in favour of a particular party and it was not possible to conduct free and fair election in the constituency in his presence.

The Commission removing the Bhadoria had replaced him by Rishdhar Singh from Guna.

In complaint to EC, the Congress had accused the BJP men of distributing voters slips embedded with the party symbol and the photograph of the BJP candidate in Kolaras. The CEO has instructed the collector to seize the material and have called the detailed report on the issue.

Outcome of the two by-elections would be watched keenly as a possible pointer to people’s mood ahead of the Assembly elections in the BJP-ruled state, due later this year. The Congress has fielded Mahendra Singh Yadav from Kolaras and Brijendra Singh Yadav from Mungaoli, while the BJP has fielded Baisahab Yadav from Mungaoli and Devendra Jain from Kolaras.

Overall, 13 candidates are in the fray in Mungaoli and 22 in Kolaras. Counting of votes would take place on February 28.

The by-polls were necessitated due to the death of Congress’s Mungaoli MLA Mahendra Singh Kalukheda and its Kolaras MLA Ram Singh Yadav. Both seats are in the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Jyotiraditya Scindia.