59% voting for Ratlam LS seat, 62% in Dewas Assembly

Over 59 per cent polling was registered in the by-election to Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, while over 62 per cent turnout was recorded for Dewas Assembly bypoll, State Chief Electoral Officer said here.

"While 59.46 per cent polling was registered in by-election to Ratlam Lok Sabha constituency, in Dewas Assembly bypoll 62.03 per cent turnout was recorded," Chief Electoral Officer Saleena Singh said.

Barring a few incidents, both the by-elections passed off peacefully amid tight security, she added.

In Ratlam, eight candidates, including Congress candidate and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria, BJP nominee and MLA Nirmala Bhuria and Grand Alliance candidate Vijay Haari are testing their political fortunes.

Though the main contest was between BJP and Congress in Ratlam seat, the JD(U), buoyed by the success of the grand alliance in Bihar, tried to put up a similar front by roping-in CPI, CPI-M, Gondwana Gantantra Party and Bahujan Sangarsh Dal in the state to provide an alternative.

The by-poll was necessitated due to the death of BJP tribal face Dilip Singh Bhuria, father of Nirmala.

In Dewas, the fate of four candidates- BJP nominee Gayatri Raje Puar, Congress's Jaiprakash Shastri, Samajwadi Party's Haji Hatam Bhai and an Independent candidate Sunny Kanvar will be decided on November 24 - when the counting of votes will take place for both the by-elections.

The Assembly by-election had to be conducted due to the demise of Tukojirao Puar in June this year. His wife Gayatri Raje is likely to sail through riding on a sympathy factor.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Ratlam recorded 64.21 per cent polling, while in the 2013 assembly polls 69.82 per cent voters' turnout was recorded in Dewas.

While BJP has put in all its efforts to retain both Ratlam and Dewas seats, Congress left no stone unturned to wrest it from the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh after the Bihar assembly poll debacle.