A moderate 60 percent polling was recorded in Rajasthan on Thursday. Voters across the state queued up to elect a 200 member state assembly, political pundits predict a photo-finish between the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress in the polls that were marked by several incidents of violence.
Long queues were reported from most of the 42,212 poll stations across the desert state where the Congress is hoping to vote out the five-year BJP government in the state headed by chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia.
"The polling more or less went off peacefully. We are compiling the final figures but initial estimates indicate that the turnout may be over 60 percent," a state election department official informed media men in Jaipur.
Rajasthan Governor S K Singh had to embarrassingly wait for over 25 minutes as a snag hit electronic voting machine at his polling centre in Jaipur had to be replaced.
The polls sealed the fate of 2,193 candidates, including 154 women.
Several bigwigs including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state Congress president CP Joshi, Gujjar community leader Prahlad Gunjal and Meena leader Kirori Lal Meena.
The Congress is contesting on all 200 seats, the BJP in 193 while a confident Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded candidates in all but one constituency.
The BJP is expecting another five-year term in office on the strength of what it says are development projects it carried out.
In its present constitution the assembly has 121 legislators fro the ruling BJP while the Congress is represented by 53 lawmakers.
With dissentions and factionalism plaguing both the major parties, the elections are said to be heading for a nail-biting finish.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's BSP is desperately trying to make a dent.
The party won only two seats in 2003. But it increased its vote percentage from 2.17 percent in 1998, when it fought for the first time in the state, to 3.98 percent in 2003.
Violence erupted in Mahua, Nathdwara. Deeg-Kumher and Toda Bhim. "There were incidents of stone pelting and clashes between supporters of parties in some other areas," a police officer said.
At some places the electronic voting machines had to be replaced after they broke down while snatching of EVMs was also reported from a couple of constituencies.
Long queues were reported from most of the 42,212 poll stations across the desert state where the Congress is hoping to vote out the five-year BJP government in the state headed by chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia.
"The polling more or less went off peacefully. We are compiling the final figures but initial estimates indicate that the turnout may be over 60 percent," a state election department official informed media men in Jaipur.
Rajasthan Governor S K Singh had to embarrassingly wait for over 25 minutes as a snag hit electronic voting machine at his polling centre in Jaipur had to be replaced.
The polls sealed the fate of 2,193 candidates, including 154 women.
Several bigwigs including former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, state Congress president CP Joshi, Gujjar community leader Prahlad Gunjal and Meena leader Kirori Lal Meena.
The Congress is contesting on all 200 seats, the BJP in 193 while a confident Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded candidates in all but one constituency.
The BJP is expecting another five-year term in office on the strength of what it says are development projects it carried out.
In its present constitution the assembly has 121 legislators fro the ruling BJP while the Congress is represented by 53 lawmakers.
With dissentions and factionalism plaguing both the major parties, the elections are said to be heading for a nail-biting finish.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's BSP is desperately trying to make a dent.
The party won only two seats in 2003. But it increased its vote percentage from 2.17 percent in 1998, when it fought for the first time in the state, to 3.98 percent in 2003.
Violence erupted in Mahua, Nathdwara. Deeg-Kumher and Toda Bhim. "There were incidents of stone pelting and clashes between supporters of parties in some other areas," a police officer said.
At some places the electronic voting machines had to be replaced after they broke down while snatching of EVMs was also reported from a couple of constituencies.
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