Voting for Mandar by-poll passed off peacefully with voting percentage remaining 61.25 per cent till 7 pm. Ranchi Deputy Commissioner, Chhavi Ranjan has thanked everyone for peaceful polling. In Mandar bypoll, around 3.5 lakh voters exercised their franchise deciding the fate of 14 candidates in EVMs.
Voting took place in 433 booths from 7 am to 4 pm. However, at many booths, voting took place for some time due to the voters being engaged in the queue. Now all eyes are on the counting held on June 26. The district administration had made elaborate arrangements for peaceful voting. Large number of security personnel were deployed at various booths. At Murhu panchayat of Bero block, voter enthusiasm was seen as a large number of voters exercised their franchise due to the large number of security personnel.
The candidates contesting the election also voted. BJP candidate Gangotri Kujur who is trying her luck for the second time from Mandar reserved seat, exercised her franchise at Jaipur village under Chanho block. She reached the polling booth after performing puja at Sarna sthal and temple. Similarly, an independent candidate who is supported by AIMIM Deo Kumar Dhan voted at his native village in Lapung. Congress candidate Shilpi Neha Tirkey is a voter in Hatia constituency.
The voting percentage in the morning was slow, but as day progressed voters enthusiasm was seen at booths. The district administration had divided the constituency into various sectors, with the sector magistrate keeping an eye on voting. Borders of consituency with neighboring districts were sealed for peaceful voting.
The seat is likely to witness a triangular contest as the ruling Congress has fielded Shilpi Neha Tirkey as a joint candidate of the mahagatbandhan, while the opposition BJP is banking on its former MLA, Gangotri Kujur, this year. In the 2019 polls, Kujur was benched by BJP over her “non-performance”. In 2014, she was elected from the seat on a BJP ticket.
BJP rebel candidate Deo Kumar Dhan is contesting the election as Independent candidate supported by All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has campaigned for Dhan trying to woo the Muslim voters who has a sizeable number.
The seat is tribal reserved seat with tribal Sarna population around 1.75 lakh, followed by Hindu population with around 74,000. The seat has also sizeable Muslim population as there are 70,000 Muslim. The seat, having several missionaries, has around 30,000 Christian.
Apart from Mandar, bypolls to three Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats took place today across six states. The results of these votes will be announced on Sunday (June 26).
Mandar election_1/2 : People stand in a long queue to cast their votes at a polling centre, during Mandar Assembly Constituency By-poll, on Thursday.
