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Assembly elections Highlights: Voting for Mizoram, Chhattisgarh phase 1 concludes, over 70% voter turnout recorded
Assembly elections Highlights: Two out of five states to undergo polling today. The month-long election likely to set the ground for 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Assembly elections Highlights: Chhattisgarh and Mizoram kicked off the month-long poll battle today. While voting for 20 seats out of 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly are taking place for the first phase, the 40-member Mizoram assembly is undergoing polling in a single phase. In Chhattisgarh, the fight is mainly between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, whereas, Mizoram is the only poll-bound state where these two parties are not the only primary contenders. The Mizo National Front (MNF) and Zoram Peoples' Movement (ZPM) have a strong hold in the politics of this northeastern state....Read More
A total of 174 candidates are in the fray in Mizoram and 223 candidates will be contesting in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections.
The second phase of polling in Chhattisgarh along with single-phase polling in Madhya Pradesh will take place on November 17. Rajasthan and Telangana will undergo single-phase voting on November 25 and 30, respectively.
Counting of votes in all the states will be conducted on December 3.
Assembly elections LIVE: Women voters outnumber men in Chhattisgarh
16 out of 20 assembly seats that go to polls in the first phase in Chhattisgarh have more number of women voters than men. The total number of voters in the 20 constituencies are 40,78,681, comprising 19,93,937 male, 20,84,675 female and 69 third-gender persons, officials pointed out.
A total of 5,304 polling stations have been set up for the first phase, of which, 200 will be ‘sangwari’ booths managed by women staffers.
Assembly elections LIVE: What were the poll planks in Mizoram?
Matters related to the people's ‘identity’ and welfare along with ‘neglect of infrastructure’, corruption and unemployment were figured out during the campaigns in the run-up for the assembly polls in Mizoram.
The main battle in the state is between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), Congress, and Zoram People's Movement, with the BJP keen to emerge as the 'kingmaker'.
Assembly elections LIVE: It's Congress vs BJP in Chhattisgarh
Both the Congress and BJP engaged in fierce campaigning ahead of the phase 1 assembly polls. While the BJP targeted the ruling Congress regarding ‘corruption’ and surging paddy price, the Congress banked on poll promises such as caste census, loan waiver, gas cylinder subsidy, unemployment, jobs and housing for the poor.
Assembly elections LIVE: Key players in Mizoram polls
Zoramthanga, MNF
MNF leader and Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga is one of the most prominent faces in the assembly election this year. He will be contesting from the Aizawl East-I seat and is up against Congress candidate Lalsanglura Ralte ZPM's Lalthansanga - who is the party's vice-president.
In 2018, Zoramthanga secured 42.9 percent votes defeating independent candidate K Sapdanga who got 30 percent votes, and Congress' K Vanlalrawna who managed to get 24.5 percent votes.
Lalsawta, Congress
Another key candidate in the Mizoram polls is the state Congress chief Lalsawta who will contest from Aizawl West-III. He will be contesting against ZPM candidate VL Zaithanzama and MNF candidate K Sawmvela.
Lalsawta - who has been the finance minister of Mizoram till 2018 - won the state elections in 2008 and 2013 from Aizawl East-II. However, he lost the seat to MNF's Robert Romawia Royte in 2018. While MNF won the seat with 41.4 percent votes, Lalsawta remained restricted to only 26.9 percent votes.
Lalduhoma, ZPM
ZPM founder Lalduhoma is another key contestant in the Mizoram assembly elections. He will be contesting from the Serchhip constituency against Congress' R Vanlaltluanga and MNF's debutant candidate J Malsawmzual Vanchhawng.
In 2018, Lalduhoma won from the Aizawl West-1 but he chose to represent Serchhip. He is a former IPS officer who was also part of the security of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Read more
Assembly elections LIVE: Key candidates in Chhattisgarh phase 1 polls
Dr. Raman Singh (BJP)
Former chief minister Dr. Raman Singh is contesting from the Rajnandgaon assembly seat, where he has been pitted against Girish Dewangan of the Congress. The BJP veteran ruled the state for 15 years from 2003 to 2018. Singh's challenger Girish Dewangan is the party's state general secretary and is known to be close to chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Bhawna Bohra (BJP)
Bhawna Bohra, who will be contesting from the Pandariya seat against Congress' Neelu Chandravanshi. She is recognised for her dedication to social work and is popularly known among people as 'Ambulance Wali Didi'. Bhawna has a significant background in both social service and politics, with active involvement in the Kavardha and Bemetra districts.
Mohammad Akbar
Mohammad Akbar is also one of the key players, the only Muslim candidate in the Chhattisgarh assembly elections. He will be contesting from the Kawardha assembly constituency, where he contested for the first time in 2018 and emerged victorious against the BJP's Ashok Sahu, despite the seat having a significant population of Sahus. Read more
Assembly elections LIVE: Rainbow themed poll booth in Kanker
Chhattisgarh has introduced an innovative solution to address the social apprehension and stigma around the third gender this election season. A rainbow-themed polling station has been set up in Kanker district to ensure active participation of transgender voters.
A total of 69 transgender voters have been registered for the first phase, of which 29 are from Jagdalpur, followed by eight in both Antagarh and Bijapur, four in each of Dongargarh and Narayanpur, three in Keshkal, two each in Kawardha, Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Kondagaon and Bastar, and one each in Chitrakot, Dantewada and Konta.
