71.09 voting in three LS constituencies in Chhattisgarh

An impressive 71.09 per cent voters exercised their franchise in three Lok Sabha constituencies, which have Naxal presence, in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh Thursday.

Voting began in Kanker, Rajnandgaon and Mahasamund constituencies at 7 am, and by and large there were no untoward incidents, election officials said.

"Altogether 71.09 per cent voting has been recorded in three constituencies," state's Chief Electoral Officer Subrat Sahoo told reporters in the evening.

The number may go up as final data was yet to be received from over 100 polling booths, he said.

In naxal-hit Kanker constituency 72.37 percent voter turnout was recorded while 68.23 per cent was recorded in Mahasamund and 71.76 per cent in Rajnandgaon.

In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 73.02 per cent voter turnout had been recorded in these three seats, he added.

As many as 59 polling teams were ferried to polling centres by helicopters in sensitive areas, he said. Drones were used to monitor security.

Residents of four villages -- Supebeda, Sendhmuda, Parevapali and Kokhsara -- in Bindranawagarh assembly segment in Mahasamund seat boycotted voting, demanding construction of a bridge on Tel river, he said.

Sukalu Ram Nareti, a polling officer at Kamta polling station in Antagarh segment in Kanker Lok Sabha seat, died of heart attack before polling began, Sahoo said.

In Rajnandgaon constituency, a newly-married woman exercised her franchise before heading for her husband's house, while in Mahasamund, a groom voted in Dhamtari assembly segment before the marriage procession began.

The fate of 36 candidates was locked in EVMs across three seats wherethe main fight is between the Congress and BJP.

The BJP has fielded Santosh Pandey, general secretary of the party's state unit, in the high-profile Rajnandgaon seat, denying ticket to sitting MP Abhishek Singh, son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh.

Pandey is pitted against Congress' Bholaram Sahu, a former MLA.

In Kanker, the BJP denied ticket to sitting MP Vikram Usendi, president of its state unit, and fielded a fresh face, Mohan Mandavi. The Congress has pinned its hopes on Biresh Thakur, also a greenhorn.

In Mahasamund, the BJP chose former MLA Chunnilal Sahu over two-time MP Chandulal Sahu against Congress MLA Dhanendra Sahu.