Disabled woman in MP's Hoshangabad votes with feet

Centenarians, a newly-wed man, and a disabled woman - the enthusiasm of voters in Madhya Pradesh, where the second phase of polling to seven seats was held on Monday -- was to be seen.

Divya, 27, of Narsinghpur district - which comes under the Hoshangabad parliamentary constituency - came to the Gobargaon polling booth on her hands, had the inedible ink applied on the foot's big thumb, and used it to press the EVM to record her vote.

She also signed the register with the same digit.

In Chhatarpur district's Nayagaon village, the 106-year-old Benibhai Anuragi, who has the distinction of being the state's first woman sarpanch, came to cast her vote. 102-year-old Nathuram Mishra and his wife Gauribai, who is also a centenarian, also voted.

A 40-metre-long 'red carpet' made of rose petals was laid out to welcome them.

The area is part of the Tikamgarh constituency.

In the same district's Bagchata village, 100-year-old Girija Devi Richariya came to the polling booth in an auto with her daughter-in-law Rajkumari to exercise her franchise.

Rajkumari told reporters that her mother-in-law has been voting in every election since 1962. "Since there was nobody at home to bring her to vote, she was telling me since the morning to take her to vote in an auto," she added.

Nathua Ahhirwar, 88, walked three km to a polling booth. He said he had been casting his vote regularly for 30 years.

Also in Hoshangabad, bridegroom Abhishek Purohit made it a point to cast his vote along with his family before leaving for Jabalpur to bring back his bride.

--IANS

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