Polling figures favour us, say both Congress, BJP

Even as the election officials compiled the final figure of polling in Chhattisgarh, the state recorded voters’ turnout of 52 per cent. The state went to the polls on Thursday.

In the last Lok Sabha elections in 2004, 52.09 per cent of state’s electorates exercised their franchise. In the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, 15.4 million voters were eligible to cast their votes.

According to state election officials, the highest turn-out of voters 59 per cent was recorded in Raigarh Lok Sabha constituency while lowest was registered in Mahasamund where 43 per cent voters lined up to elect their representative to the Lok Sabha.

The officials were, however, expecting heavy turn-out as more than 70 per cent polling was recorded in the November 2008 state assembly elections in the state. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Congress have claimed that the voting trend favoured them.

Chief Minister Raman Singh said that the polling percentage was less than the assembly election but was similar to the last Lok Sabha elections. “The voters have rejected the Congress’ appeal and did not show much enthusiasm,” he said, adding that hence the votes cast were in favour of his party.

State Congress Chief Dhanendra Sahu, however, said the average turn-out was in favour of Congress candidates. The voters did not show any interest on the BJP government’s performance and hence, they did not come out to exercise their franchise, he added.

Meanwhile, polling parties from the interior areas returned till past mid-night after conducting free and fair polls. No untoward incident had been reported from any part of the state. The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had been deposited in the respective district headquarters.