MP polls: 45.40% voter turnout till 1 pm, violence at several places

Bhopal: A voter turnout of 45.40 per cent was recorded in Madhya Pradesh on Friday till 1.pm. even as some disputes erupted between the supporters of the ruling BJP and opposition Congress.

According to the Election Commission (EC), the state recorded 45.40 per cent turnout till 1 p.m. and of the total voters, 45.70 per cent were male and 45.11 per cent female.

Incidents of stone pelting were reported in Dhimni Assembly constituency of Morena district. However, the police managed to normalise the situation and polling was continuing. At least two persons were reported injured. A video of the incident went viral on social media.

The incident of stone pelting was also reported outside the polling station in Manhad village of Mehgaon Assembly constituency of Bhind district. As per the report, BJP candidate Rakesh Shukla sustained minor injuries during the incident. Police reached the spot and the situation was brought under control.

In another incident in Harda district, a person reportedly died of electrocution at a polling booth. While in Indore’s Mhow Assembly seat, BJP workers attacked Congress supporters with swords.

Talking to the press, two-time former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh said, “There is news of some violence during the voting in Madhya Pradesh and I believe that the government will work in a fair manner.”

The results would be announced on December 3 along with four other poll-bound states -- Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram. In 2018, the Congress had won 114 seats against the BJP’s 109.

The Congress had managed to form the government with the support of independent MLAs and Samajwadi Party and BSP legislators. However, Kamal Nath’s government was toppled and the BJP was back in power again in March 2020.