Only 43% voters show up in Rae Bareli

The polling in Sonia's constituency passed off nearly peacefully, barring the attack on a Samajwadi Party man.

In one of the lowest turnout of voters, an estimated 43 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the bye-election to the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency on Monday.

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The polling passed off nearly peacefully, barring the attack on a Samajwadi Party leader.

SP State executive member Jaishanker Bajpai received gunshot injuries when unidentified masked men fired at his vehicle.

District Magistrate Jitendra Kumar, who is also the returning officer for the constituency, said that the incident had nothing to do with the polling, except that it occurred during polling hours.

Kumar attributed the low turnout of voters to the scorching heat. During 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the turnout was around 47.8 per cent and Sonia Gandhi had won by a margin of nrearly 2.5 lakh votes.

Polling began on a dull note in the morning due to defects in electronic voting machines at many places.