Chhattisgarh election HIGHLIGHTS | First phase polling ends with 70 per cent turnout; five Naxals killed in Bijapur encounter

Although the Naxal-infested parts of the state witnessed a peaceful election, five Naxals were killed and five jawans sustained injuries in a gun battle that took place in Bijapur.

Eighteen out of 90 constituencies in Chhattisgarh which went to polls on Monday under phase one of the Assembly elections, recorded a turnout of 70 per cent voters till 4.30 pm, the Election Commission said.

Although the Maoist-infested parts of the state witnessed a peaceful election, five Naxals were killed and five jawans sustained injuries in a gun battle that took place in Bijapur at around 12.30pm. An improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated in Dantewada district by Naxals during the wee hours of the day and another explosive was recovered in the Sukma district.

READ| 100-year-old woman casts vote in Dornapal district

Voting at highly sensitive seats( Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Konta, Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal and Kondagaon), which began at 7 am, ended at 3pm and polling continued in Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot, till 5 pm.

The remaining 72 seats of Chhattisgarh assembly will go to vote on November 20 as part of a multi-phased voting across five states that also include neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.

READ| EVM snag in dozen polling booths, voting interrupted

While the state has traditionally seen a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress, a third force has emerged this time in the form of an alliance between former Congress CM Ajit Jogi's own party Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and Dalit leader Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party.

Encounter underway between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur

Two commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) jawan injured in an encounter that broke out between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur's Pamed area at around 12:20 pm today. Firing underway (ANI)

More details awaited

You can witness development wherever you go in Chhattisgarh: PM Modi in Chhattisgarh

Voters should go by the the mantra 'Phele matdaan phir jalpaan.Our opposition still don’t know how to fight the BJP. We are focused on development, we went beyond the caste divisions. You can witness development wherever you go in Chhattisgarh: PM Modi addressing a rally in Bilaspur.

PM Narendra Modi addresses poll rally in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur, says have 'confidence in people of Chhattisgarh'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started the campaign for the second phase of Assembly election in Chhattisgarh on Monday. While addressing a poll rally in Bilaspur, he said,"BJP has blessings of people, Chhattisgarh has given the party several oppertunities to serve the state". He urged people to set a new voting record.

Bilaspur goes to polls on November 20.

Voters in Jagdalpur's protest outside the polling centre owing to missing names in voter list

#ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018: Voters in Jagdalpur's Gandhi Nagar ward protest outside the polling centre, say, "The names of many voters are missing including those who have been living here for the past 25 years." pic.twitter.com/AGri8PE626

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

16.24% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

16.24 per cent overall voter turnout recorded till 11 am in the first phase of elections in 18 constituencies.

In Chhattisgarh, BJP sets its poll hopes on ‘Raman raj’

The ruling BJP in Chhattisgarh has tailored its campaign around ‘Raman par vishwas, Kamal sang vikas’ — its slogan in the poll-bound state. Despite having a weak political team at his disposal, Singh’s image continues to tower above all else and a stable government on his watch has ensured the party is on a strong footing in its bid to win a fresh mandate.

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Huge voter turnout despite call for ban by Maoists

Rajnandgaon: Huge voter turnout (pic 1) at the polling station in Naxal-affected Manpur's Pardoni village where Naxali posters & banners (pic 2 & 3) asking people to boycott elections had been seen. #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/Ld5SJEPnAX

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

CM Raman Singh, who is also in fray today, urges people of Chhattisgarh to vote in large numbers

आज हमारे छत्तीसगढ़ में भारतीय लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था का महापर्व है। आप सभी युवाओं, महिलाओं और वरिष्ठजनों से मेरा यह आग्रह है कि छत्तीसगढ़ विधानसभा चुनाव-2018 के प्रथम चरण में आप सभी अपने मताधिकार का प्रयोग अवश्य करें। आपका मतदान ही राष्ट्र की ताकत है।

— Dr Raman Singh (@drramansingh) November 12, 2018

Man taking his father to a polling station in Dantewada

A man taking his father in a wheelchair to a polling station at Ronje panchayat in Dantewada. (Photo| EPS)

EVM snag in Kanker, Rajnandgaon, Jagdalpur, polling delayed in Bijapur, Narayanpur and south Bastar

In around a dozen polling stations the voting was interrupted owing to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines (EVMs). During the first couple of hours, the voting percentage was around 15 per cent in various seats.

The EVM snag was reported in Kanker, Rajnandgaon, Jagdalpur, Bhanupratapur and polling was delayed by an hour in Bijapur, Narayanpur and south Bastar. 

10.7% voter turnout recorded till 10 am

10.7% voter turnout recorded till 10 am in the first phase of elections in 18 constituencies. (ANI)

Voters in tribal area of Sukma district queue up to cast their votes amid tight security

Tribal voters in queue under the watchful eyes of security forces at Sukma. (Photo| EPS)

IED detected near a polling booth in Konta's Banda

An IED was detected near a polling booth in Konta's Banda. (Photo| ANI)

Visually challenged man casts his vote in Dantewada

#ChhattisgarhElections2018: A visually impaired person casts his vote at a polling station in Dantewada's Geedam pic.twitter.com/1ZtBqolhiM

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

Ban on liquor, interest-free loans, almost free rice and a 'Naxal-free' state, political parties have bet it all this election season

Ban on liquor, interest-free loans, almost free rice and a 'Naxal-free' state -- political parties have tried every trick in the book to outdo each other with their poll promises as the state goes to polls with Maoist-affected areas of Chhattisgarh for a multi-phased poll season across five states.

While Chhattisgarh has traditionally seen a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress, a third force has emerged this time in the form of an alliance between former Congress chief minister Ajit Jogi's own party Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and Dalit leader Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party.

Opinion| In Chhattisgarh, Congress may spring a surprise

Since the creation of the state on November 1, 2000, the BJP under the leadership of Raman Singh has ruled it, barring the first three years, when the Congress led by Ajit Jogi ruled the state. Thereafter, factionalism in the Congress in the state couldn’t withstand the clean image and settled leadership of incumbent chief minister Raman Singh, whose populist ‘rice politics’ just before the 2008 Assembly election returned the BJP to power for another term.

(Click here to read more) 

PM Narendra Modi asks voters in Chhattisgarh to take part in the electoral process and cast their votes

छत्तीसगढ़ में मतदान का आज पहला चरण है। सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा आग्रह है कि वे पूरे उत्साह के साथ लोकतंत्र के महापर्व में अवश्य भाग लें और भारी संख्या में मतदान करें।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 12, 2018

EVM glitch leads to pause in voting in one of Rajnandgaon's polling booth

#ChhattisgarhElections2018: Voting has stopped due to technical problem in the EVM at the Pink polling booth in Kamla College, in Rajnandgaon's Sangwari pic.twitter.com/cgrjUCQcga

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

Half a dozen chopper and multiple drones deployed to keep tight vigil on the polling booths

Nearly 900 polling personnel have been air-dropped from helicopters so that they can reach safely. Over 16,500 polling personnel went by-road. I think all will be in a position to deliver peaceful elections: Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat. (ANI)

100-year-old woman arrives at a polling station to cast her vote

A 100-year-old woman reaches a polling station in Dornapal to cast her vote in Sukma. (Photo|ANI)

Disenchanted with national parties, Bastar tribals seek to send own representative to Assembly

The realisation that having decision-making powers in their hands is the only way to check exploitation at the hands of politicians and Maoists has made tribal groups in some of the villages in Bastar to join the poll fray. They have decided to join hands and contest elections to send their representative to the Assembly this time.

The party may not win due to the strong presence of the BJP and the Congress, but is expected to give a tough fight to the candidates of both the national parties. In 2013, it was the shift of Bastar voters to the Congress that had given a scare to the BJP. Of the 12 seats in the region, Congress won 8 while the BJP, which had won 11 seats in 2008, was reduced to 4.

 (Click here to read more)

Here are some quick facts about polling in the 'Naxal bastion' of Bastar

Bastar zone Total Seats: 12

Polling booths in hyper sensitive areas: 1190

Sensitive: 924

Politically sensitive 401

Booths relocated: 187 in 86 places

Forces deployed: Around 60,000

Poll Time: 7 am- 3 pm

Voting begins in Rajnandgaon and Bastar

Voting to start in 5 constituencies of Rajnandgaon & 3 constituencies of Bastar at 8 am in the first phase of #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018; #Visuals from a polling station in Rajnandgaon pic.twitter.com/Tk2vmlQrL5

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

Chhattisgarh women don’t get due in poll tickets

Women voters outnumber men in 15 districts and in 33 Assembly seats of Chhattisgarh. But, their representation during the previous three elections remained a dismal 9 to 13 per cent — a far cry from the 33 per cent quota in ticket allocation that is often peddled by political parties.

(Click here to read more)

Naxals blast IE Device minutes after polling begins in Tumakpal

1-2 kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasted by naxals near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block. (ANI) 

Voting begins for 10 out of 18 seats in first phase of polling

#Chhattisgarh: Voting begins for 10 out of 18 seats in the first phase of #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElection2018 pic.twitter.com/n3mXyn4Nhd

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

Heavy security deployment for first phase polls

A total of 650 companies (roughly around 65,000 security personnel), including CRPF, BSF, ITBP and other state forces, have been sent by the Centre for poll duty. These units are apart from the paramilitary personnel and 200 companies of state forces already engaged in the anti- Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh.

Visuals from a polling station in Dantewada ahead of the first phase of voting in #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 today. pic.twitter.com/XD83OaM5cm

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

Polling to begin at 7 AM

Polling in 13 constituencies, where there is substantial Maoist presence, will be from 7 AM to 3 PM. Polling in five constituencies will be from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Chhattisgarh polls first phase starts today

Amidst boycott call by the rebels, 18 Assembly constituencies of 90 is going for the first phase of polls in Naxal-affected Chhattisgarh.

Five Naxals gunned down in Bijapur encounter

Five Naxals killed, three more personnel of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were injured in the encounter that broke out between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur's Pamed area today. All the CoBRA personnel are out danger. (ANI)

Voter turnout at the end of first phase of the Assembly polls in the Maoist hot bed

(Photo| PIB)Voter turnout at the end of first phase of the Assembly polls in the Maoist hot bed:Bastar:58%Kondgaon:61.47%Keshkal:63%Kanker:62%Bhanupratappur:57%Jagdalpur: 54% Chitrakot: 57% Mohala-Manpur: 67%

47.18% voter turn out recorded till 3pm

47.18 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in the first phase of Assembly elections.

We assured villagers of secure voting environment: CRPF

After the Nilwaya naxal attack, the challenges have gone up. Naxals had threatened villagers against voting. We assured the villagers of a secure environment, put in place a three level security so that people can vote without fear: CRPF official

Despite multiple boycott calls, people in Dantewada came out to exercise their electoral rights

#Chhattisgarh: People in Dantewada's Madenda village cast their votes even after threat from the Naxals to cut their fingers if the ink mark is seen on their fingers. Local says, "there are 263 registered voters in the village and many are voting even after the threat." pic.twitter.com/WPDYX9OiEs

— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018

25. 15 % voter turn out recorded till 1pm

25.15 per cent voter turnout recorded till 1 pm in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections.

Bijapur encounter: Two Cobra men injured, reinforcement deployed

According to the Bijapur police a team of Cobra were on out on area domination when the Maoists opened fire on the troopers. The attack was retaliated by the forces. “In an exchange of fire one assistant sub-inspector and a constable sustained injuries and the efforts are on to evacuate them to safety. The forces are still inside the forest”, the police said.