Bhopal: Liquor and cash are flowing unabated in the state. Cash seized since imposition of model code of conduct stands at Rs 11 crore while 3 lakh litres of liquor has been seized till now. Cash seized is double the amount while liquor seized is more than three times compared to 2013 assembly elections. The total cash seizure by election commission teams till date has doubled the overall amount that was seized during 2013 assembly elections.
Various teams constituted by the commission have seized Rs 11 crore till date across the state, whereas total seizure during 2013 assembly election stood at Rs 4.72 crore. Liquor seized during 2013 assembly elections was about 1 lakh litre which in this election has grown three fold. More than 3 lakh litre of liquor has been seized since imposition of Model Code of Conduct. Various teams working under election commission and the police in state till now have seized over Rs 11 crore cash in a one month since imposition of model code of conduct.
The haul when compared to that of previous assembly elections of 2013 is more than double this election. During 2013 assembly election, the income tax authorities working under election commission had zeroed in on total cash worth around Rs 11.4 crore. However, after scrutiny of documents etc around Rs 6.28 crore was returned to the owners. Thus the overall seizure stood at over Rs 4.72 crore cash during the enforcement period of model code that was imposed on October 6.
With only 21 days left for the polling Neta-Mantris are splurging money so unprecedentedly that the cash seizure has doubled since the previous elections in Madhya Pradesh. Overall 3 lakh litre of liquor has been seized in the state in past one month. The cost of the seized liquor has been estimated at Rs 7.46 crore. In 2013, over 1 lakh litre of liquor was seized in Madhya Pradesh. Chief electoral officer, VL Kantha Rao, said that total contraband worth Rs 31 crores was seized in Madhya Pradesh since October 6, the day of enforcement of model code of conduct.
POLL NAMA
In Madhya Pradesh, both the BJP and Congress increased their vote share in assembly elections in 2013. The BJP recorded a vote percentage of 44.87 %, surpassing its previous high of 42.5% in 2003. The Congress recorded an hike of 3.97% in its vote share. None of the above (NOTA) option, introduced for the first time, cornered 1.9% percentage of the votes cast and emerged as fourth largest party in that sense after the BJP, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (6.28%)