Datia (MP), Jul 29 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh Election Commission and local administration have completed all preparations for the Datia assembly byelection scheduled for Thursday, where BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress’s Ghanshyam Singh are locked in a direct contest.
A total of 2,20,344 voters, including 1,16,088 men and 1,04,246 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency where 21 candidates are in the fray.
Polling will be conducted between 7 am and 6 pm. Votes will be counted on August 3.
Officials said 291 polling stations have been set up, including 186 in rural areas and 105 in urban areas.
The State Election Commission and the district administration have completed almost all preparations for the election, and all necessary security arrangements have been made.
Superintendent of Police Mayur Khandelwal said police personnel have been deployed and a control room has been set up to take immediate action if a complaint is received.
He said the police are monitoring suspicious individuals and strict action will be taken against those attempting to influence the voting process or disrupt law and order.
The campaigning closed on Tuesday evening.
The BJP has fielded Ashutosh Tiwari, whose candidature caused heartburn among the supporters of former state home minister Narottam Mishra, while the Congress has nominated Ghanshyam Singh. Damodar Singh Yadav of the Aazad Samaj Party is also in the fray, making the fight triangular.
The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti lost his assembly membership following his conviction in a cheating case. Votes will be counted on August 3.
The ruling BJP has made development its main poll plank, while the Congress is countering it with claims of crop losses and anger among OBCs over the purported denial of full 27 per cent reservation.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led the BJP’s campaign, while senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, state party chief Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar and Jaivardhan Singh canvassed for Ghanshyam Singh.
Earlier this month, the BJP faced violent protests by the supporters of party veteran Narottam Mishra after he was denied a ticket by the ruling party.
On Monday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav held a roadshow in support of the BJP candidate.
Congress leaders also held rallies, in which they accused the BJP of using money power to win elections, a charge the ruling party rejected, and filed a complaint with the Election Commission.
Earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed public meetings in some rural pockets of Datia.
Aazad Samaj Party president Chandrashekhar Azad had canvassed for his party candidate.
In the 2023 assembly elections, Congress’ Rajendra Bharti had defeated then-home minister Narottam Mishra by over 7,500 votes. PTI MAS NSK
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