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MP civic polls: Final phase of voting underway across 43 districts
The Aam Aadmi Party is also trying its luck in the Madhya Pradesh municipal elections for the first time – on the promise of free water, better schools and healthcare facilities.
Voting for the second phase of civil body polls in Madhya Pradesh is underway amid tight security. About 7,000 polling centres have been set up for voting in five Municipal Corporations, 40 Municipal councils and 169 Nagar Parishads across 43 districts. The voting commenced at 7am and will conclude at 5pm.
Voting is being held for mayoral and cooperators’ posts in Katni, Rewa, Dewas, Ratlam and Morena. According to state election commission data, Morena municipal corporation has 2.52 lakh voters, Rewa has 1.71 lakh voters, 1.93 lakh voters in Katni, 2.39 lakh voters in Dewas and 1.21 lakh voters in Ratlam municipal corporation.
About 49.9 lakh voters will seal the fate of the candidates today, of which 25.20 lakh are male, and 23.88 lakh are female voters. A total of 292 voters are transgender.
After the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party blamed the election commission for not distributing voters' slip ahead of first phase of polling, efforts have been made to distribute all slips this time.
The first phase of the civic body polls was held on July 6. The counting will take place on July 17 and July 18.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Congress leader Kamal Nath led the election campaign of their respective parties.
Last Wednesday, Kamal Nath accused BJP of using police, money and administration in the local body elections.
"I am getting many calls that pressure is being put on the administration, police and money. If they had public support, would they need these things? The public is fed up with the false declarations of Shivraj. Now 50 rupees have been increased on domestic gas. Recently, 5 per cent GST was increased on flour, paneer. I have faith in the people of the state," he added.
At a public meeting in Raisen, Chouhan said, "Even when Kamal Nath was the CM, he used to threaten police and administration and is still threatening. They have understood that Congress has lost badly and that the defeat has to be blamed on someone or the other."
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also trying its luck in the state municipal elections for the first time – on the promise of free water, better schools and healthcare facilities. The party has chosen mayoral candidates for 14 out of 16 municipal corporations in the state.
