Chattisgarh Times
Raipur: As many as 72 constituencies of Chhattisgarh are going to polls in the second and last phase of state assembly elections tomorrow.
Electioneering has come to an end in all the 72 constituencies on Sunday evening. All the major political parties including BJP, Congress, Janata Congress, and Aam Aadmi Party had made all the possible last efforts to woo voters across the state as campaigning for the last phase of state assembly elections came to an end at 5pm on Sunday.
As many as 1, 53, 85,983 crore voters including 76, 38,415 female and 940 transgender voters, will exercise their franchise in the second phase of assembly polls.
The highest number of electorates in this phase is in Kasdol constituency, where as many as 3, 33,240 electorates will exercise their franchise while lowest is in Manendragarh with 1, 31, 273 voters.
Besides as many as 1,079 candidates including candidates of recognized political parties, registered political parties, and Independents will try their luck in the last phase of state assembly polls which are going to be held on November 20.
The highest number of 46 candidates has been fielded in Raipur (South) constituency while the lowest number of six candidates are in fray from Bindranawagarh constituency.
The star campaigners of BJP including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Textile Minister Smriti Irani canvassed support for the party candidates. While star campaigners of Congress including Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and actor turned politician Raj Babbar campaigned for Congress candidates in many constituencies during electioneering.
Prominent candidates among those in fray for the second phase of state assembly polls are State Congress President Bhupesh Baghel from Patan constituency, Leader of Opposition TS Singhdeo from Ambikapur constituency, Congress Working Committee Member Tamradhwaj Sahu from Durg-Rural, and Former Union Minister Charan Das Mahant from his Shakti constituency.
Similarly, Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi who is contesting from his Marwahi seat, his daughter-in-law Richa Jogi contesting from Akaltara, and former leader of opposition Ravindra Chaube contesting from Saja constituency are among the prominent candidates. Besides, 10 cabinet ministers including Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agarwal (Raipur South), Commercial and Urban Tax Minister Amar Agarwal (Bilaspur), Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra (Pratappur) are testing their electoral fortunes in this phase.
A department official informed that elaborate arrangements have been made in all participating constituencies where as many as 19,296 polling booths have been set up. Security forces have been deployed in all the polling booths including sensitive areas for smooth conduct of elections.
The first phase of polling in 18 constituencies, including 12 Naxal-affected constituencies in the Bastar division and four in Rajanandgaon, recorded a final voter turnout of 76.28 per cent.
