#RoadTo2019: Round 2 of voting in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections underway
On Tuesday morning, voting began for the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, amid tight security arrangements. For those unaware, Chhattisgarh is seeing a three-way contest between the ruling BJP, the Congress, and the Ajit Jogi-Mayawati-led alliance as a third front. As of 10am, 12.54% of the voting in the second phase had been completed. Here's more.
PHOTOS: Ajit Jogi, his son cast their votes
The first phase of voting happened on November 12
Earlier, on November 12, the first phase of voting took place for 18 constituencies in Maoist-affected areas in the state, despite Maoist calls for boycotting the elections. Around 20,000 security personnel were deployed across 4,336 polling booths to ensure smooth elections, and drones were used to conduct reconnaissance operations to ensure that the areas for safe for election officials and voters.
The second phase of voting in numbers
The second phase consists of the remaining 72 constituencies in the state, and is expected to see 1.54 crore voters cast their votes to decide the fate of the 1,079 candidates who are in the fray. For security, more than one lakh security personnel have been posted across the 19,000+ polling booths, and security forces are on high alert in sensitive areas.
PHOTOS: Visuals of polling from Bilaspur
Leaders are urging people to go out and vote
Before going to the polls, the BJP held 43 out of the 72 constituency seats up for grabs. The first phase of the elections saw a promising 76.28% voter turn out, and leaders from the BJP, Congress, and the BSP-Janta Chhattisgarh Congress alliance have taken to social media to urge people to go out and vote in the second phase. Voting ends at 5pm, and vote counting will take place on December 11.
