Haryana polls: CM Khattar rides bicycle to polling station

In a bid to promote eco-friendly mode of transport, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday reached the polling booth to cast vote on a bicycle.

Earlier the chief minister took a train to reach Karnal from Chandigarh. From the railway station here he took an e-rickshaw to reach his office, from there he rode a bicycle to the polling booth.

Khattar is contesting from Karnal assembly constituency on a BJP ticket.

"I have come all the way to Karnal from Chandigarh to cast my vote. First, I took a Jan Shatabdi from Panchkula to Karnal which took around two hours. Then, I went to the party office from the railway station in e-rickshaw. From the office, I cycled to the polling booth," Khattar told reporters here.

"I would like to give a message to all that we should take care of the environment. We should all make efforts to stop pollution so that it does not affect the future generation," he said.

Khattar took a jibe at the opposition parties, saying they have lost and left the battleground.

"Voting is underway peacefully across the state. Opposition parties including Congress have already lost and have left the battleground, their tall claims have no value," he said.

Polling for 90 seats in the state began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm in the evening. A voter turnout of 8.73 per cent has been recorded till 9 am.

The electoral fate of 1,169 candidates will be sealed in EVMs by the voters who will exercise their democratic franchise in the assembly elections.

In Haryana, 19,578 polling stations have been set up for citizens to cast their votes.

The assembly polls will witness a multi-cornered contest among BJP, Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the recently formed Jannayak Janata Party (JJP). Votes will be counted on October 24.

In the 2014 elections, BJP had won 47 seats and formed the government on its own strength while the Congress managed just 15 seats. The INLD finished second with 19 seats.