Madhya Pradesh: By-Elections in Budhni, Vijapur Record 74% Polling

 Bhopal: By-elections to Budhni and Vijaypur Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday recorded an impressive voters’ turnout of around 74 percent by six pm, even as the ruling BJP and Opposition Congress traded charges of rigging against each other.

Reports reaching the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) here said that an average of around 74 percent polling was witnessed in the by-elections to the two Assembly seats by six pm.

While by-elections in Vijapur witnessed 75.27 percent polling by six pm, Budhni recorded 72.37 percent of polling.

Vijaypura is witnessing a bipolar contest between BJP candidate and state forest minister Ram Niwas Rawat and Congress nominee Mukesh Malhota in a multi-cornered fight.

Mr Rawat, the sitting MLA in the seat, had resigned from the Congress and subsequently from the Assembly to join the BJP before the recent Lok Sabha polls necessitating by-elections in the constituency.

Budhni Assembly seat fell vacant when the sitting MLA and Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was elected to the Lok Sabha in the last elections.

BJP’s Ramakant Bhargav, a former MP, is pitted against Congress’ Raj Kumar Patel, a former minister, in Budhni.

Reports reaching here said that Congress supporters staged demonstration in front of Birpur police station under Vijaypur Assembly constituency alleging rigging in Telipiur polling booth under the constituency.

Congress also alleged booth capturing and rigging in some other polling booths under Vijaypur Assembly constituency.

“The Election Commission should take note of the situation”, state Congress president Jitu Patwari said.

State BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma also made similar charges against Congress and said that the EC should take action in the matter.

BJP has also lodged a complaint with the EC alleging that the supporters of the Congress candidate in Budhni attacked BJP workers and other people and pelted stones at them.