The counting of votes for the Mungaoli and Kolaras Assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh is underway, an Election Commission official said.
The counting process began at 8 am, the official said.
At both the seats, there is a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP. Security has been stepped up at the two counting centres, the official said.
On 24 February, Mungaoli and Kolaras recorded a voters' turnover of 77.05 and 70.4 percent respectively.
The bypolls were necessitated due to the death of Congress MLAs Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Mungaoli) and Ram Singh Yadav (Kolaras). Both seats are in the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, represented by senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Thirteen candidates including the Congress' Brijendra Singh Yadav, BJP's Bai Sahib are in the fray in Mungaoli bypolls while 22 candidates including Congress' Mahendra Singh Yadav and BJP's Devendra Jain are contesting in Kolaras bypolls.
With inputs from PTI
Published Date: Feb 28, 2018 14:00 PM | Updated Date: Feb 28, 2018 14:48 PM
Highlights
Bypolls a litmus test for BJP
The Kolaras and Mungaoli bypolls are being seen as the semi-final match for both the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress ahead of the Assembly elections by year-end. The results of the bypolls will act as a litmus test for both the parties and also make BJP and Congress leaders aware of the ground realities in Madhya Pradesh.
The results will also reveal the level of farmers' distress in the state. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been trying to address the issue with the launch of Bhavantar Yojna, a scheme to compensate farmers by paying the 'difference' between the MSP and the market price of crops. But, farmers are unhappy with the scheme as only 6.4 percent of them have benefited from it.
Congress ahead of BJP in both Mungaoli, Kolaras
In Mungaoli, Congress candidate Brijendra Singh Yadav is ahead by over 1,381 votes while in Kolaras, Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav is ahead by over 1,300 votes after the completion of the third round of counting, according to media reports.
Congress leading BJP in close fight for Kolaras
In the Kolaras constituency bypolls, the vote count currently stands at 3,556 for the Congress and 3,304 for the BJP, according to India TV.
Direct fight between Congress and BJP
At both the seats, there is a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP. The bypolls were necessitated due to the death of Congress MLAs Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Mungaoli) and Ram Singh Yadav (Kolaras). Both seats are in the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, represented by senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Counting of votes for Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls begins
Counting of votes for the Mungaoli and Kolaras Assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh is being held on Wednesday. Both seats will witness a direct fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.
14:48 (IST)
Kolaras Bypoll results
Congress leads BJP by 2,640 votes. Here is the vote share after six rounds of counting (source: MoneyControl.com)
Infogram
14:42 (IST)
Mungaoli Bypoll results
Congress leads BJP by a healthy margin. Here is the vote share after eight rounds of counting (source: MoneyControl.com)
Infogram
14:04 (IST)
Congress extends lead over BJP in both Mungaoli, Kolaras
Infogram
13:48 (IST)
Mungaoli bypoll: Congress leading over BJP by 3,834 votes
The Congress party has extended its resounding lead in the Mungaoli bypoll after the seventh round of counting. Congress' Brijendra Singh Yadav is leading with 3,834 votes against BJP's Bai Sahib, according to ANI.
13:31 (IST)
Farmers' mood to impact result
It will be a challenge for the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government to address farmers' distress. The memory of Mandsaur has united farmer movements across the state.
The Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, which compensates the farmer with the 'bhavantar' or the difference in price between the MSP and the market price has failed to reach farmers in all districts.
At New Delhi's Jantar Mantar last year, no less than 500 farmers from Madhya Pradesh showed up to stage an agitation against the government. Madhya Pradesh has been winning the Krishi Karman award since five years but an increase in production doesn't mean an increase in farmer's income.
There's a strong trader lobby that eats into the farmer's share. Farmers are three-fourths of the state and their mood will severely impact the electoral outcome.
13:19 (IST)
Desperate times, desperate measures for BJP
The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government will present the state’s budget in the state Assembly on Wednesday. State finance minister Jayant Kumar Malaiya will present the budget in Bhopal. He is expected to redress the state farmers' grievances by announcing sops for them during the budget.
The government announced allocation of Rs 3000 crore for Bhavantar Yojna, Rs 2000 crore for farmers' insurance and Rs 3650 crore for Krishi Sammridhi Yojna.
This budget is the last one for Chouhan government ahead of Assembly polls this year. The chief minister is desperately trying to win over the farmers as Congress is continuously attacking his government over the agrarian crisis in the state.
13:06 (IST)
Mungaoli bypoll: Congress leading BJP by 2,038 votes
The Congress party has taken a resounding lead in the Mungaoli bypoll after the fifth round of counting. Congress' Brijendra Singh Yadav is leading with 2,038 votes against BJP's Bai Sahib, according to ANI.
12:57 (IST)
Congress extends lead over BJP in Kolaras bypoll
Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav is ahead of Devendra Jain of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by 2,474 votes after the fifth round of counting, ANI reported.
12:52 (IST)
Bypolls a litmus test for BJP
The Kolaras and Mungaoli bypolls are being seen as the semi-final match for both the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress ahead of the Assembly elections by year-end. The results of the bypolls will act as a litmus test for both the parties and also make BJP and Congress leaders aware of the ground realities in Madhya Pradesh.
The results will also reveal the level of farmers' distress in the state. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been trying to address the issue with the launch of Bhavantar Yojna, a scheme to compensate farmers by paying the 'difference' between the MSP and the market price of crops. But, farmers are unhappy with the scheme as only 6.4 percent of them have benefited from it.
12:24 (IST)
Congress still leading BJP by wide margins
Following the third round of counting in Kolaras, Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav is ahead of Devendra Jain of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 1,280 votes; whereas, in Mungaoli, Congress' Brijendra Singh Yadav is leading with 1,373 votes against BJP's Bai Sahib, according to IANS.
12:21 (IST)
Congress expecting resounding victory ahead of counting
"The Congress will sweep both Mungaoli and Kolaras and get a thumping majority. The people of Madhya Pradesh have got fed up with the jumlebaazi (false promises) of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Now, people have lost confidence and the chief minister's credibility has reached its nadir," Madhya Pradesh Congress in-charge Deepak Babaria told Firstpost in an interview recently.
11:50 (IST)
Bypolls major challenge for Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Kolaras and Mungaloi bypolls have posed a major challenge for the chief minister, writes Debobrat Ghose for Firstpost. Farmer distress might prove to be a major deterrent for the BJP government. The much-hyped ‘Bhavantar Yojna’—the government scheme meant to compensate farmers—has failed to cut ice among farmers.
There is a palpable tension among the ruling BJP. As a result, Chouhan made campaign trips every alternate day, while the entire BJP organisational apparatus hit battleground Kolaras and Mungaoli.
11:36 (IST)
Congress ahead of BJP in both Mungaoli, Kolaras
In Mungaoli, Congress candidate Brijendra Singh Yadav is ahead by over 1,381 votes while in Kolaras, Congress candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav is ahead by over 1,300 votes after the completion of the third round of counting, according to media reports.
11:33 (IST)
BJP trailing Congress in Kolaras by 1337 votes
11:26 (IST)
Congress leading BJP by 1300 votes in Mungaoli
According to the latest count, the Congress is leading over BJP by over 1300 votes in the third round of counting, according to ANI.
Mungaoli by-poll: Congress leading over BJP by 1300 votes in the third round of counting. #MadhyaPradesh11:21 (IST)
Thirteen candidates in fray in Mungaoli, 22 in Kolaras
The total number of voters in the two constituencies are 2,44,457 (Kolaras) and 1,91,009 (Mungaoli).
Thirteen candidates including the Congress' Brijendra Singh Yadav, BJP's Bai Sahib are in the fray in Mungaoli bypolls while 22 candidates including Congress' Mahendra Singh Yadav and BJP's Devendra Jain are contesting in Kolaras bypolls, according to PTI.
11:16 (IST)
Congress leading BJP in close fight for Kolaras
In the Kolaras constituency bypolls, the vote count currently stands at 3,556 for the Congress and 3,304 for the BJP, according to India TV.
11:13 (IST)
Direct fight between Congress and BJP
At both the seats, there is a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP. The bypolls were necessitated due to the death of Congress MLAs Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Mungaoli) and Ram Singh Yadav (Kolaras). Both seats are in the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, represented by senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
11:11 (IST)
BJP ahead in Mungaoli, Congress leading in Kolaras
According to media reports, the BJP is leading by over 300 votes in Mungaoli while the Congress is leading by around 500 votes in Kolaras.
11:09 (IST)
Strong voter turnout for Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls
Bypolls for the Mungaoli and Kolaras Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday saw a strong voter turnout, of over 70 percent. Mungaoli had recorded 77.05 percent turnout and Kolaras recorded 70.40 percent voter turnout, PTI reported.
11:05 (IST)
Counting underway for Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls
10:43 (IST)
Counting of votes for Mungaoli and Kolaras bypolls begins
Counting of votes for the Mungaoli and Kolaras Assembly bypolls in Madhya Pradesh is being held on Wednesday. Both seats will witness a direct fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.