New Delhi, Nov 07: Polling for one Lok Sabha and 31 Assembly seats spread across seven states started on Saturday morning amid tight security.
As polling started at 8 am, voters were seen trickling in at some booths. Congress’ politician-turned-actor Raj Babbar is pitched against SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav’s daughter-in- law Dimple in the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh.
As polling started, people were seen queueing across some booths in the state including Firozabad. A total of 177 candidates are in the fray for 12 UP seats including Firozabad parliamentary constituency.
The bypoll in Firozabad was necessitated by the resignation of SP MP and Mulayam’s son Akhilesh, who had also won from the Kannauj seat.
Polling started on a peaceful note in two Assembly seats in Rajasthan — Todabheem and Salumber.A total of over 2.5 lakh voters will decide the fate of 13 candidates in both the constituencies.
Polling began on a dull note in Rohru and Jawali in Himachal Pradesh this morning with voters yet to turn out for voting. In West Bengal, voting began in 10 assembly constituencies.
CPI-M has fielded candidates in five seats – Rajgunj, Sujapur, Bongaon, Belgachia East and Alipur, while LF partner CPI has put up nominees in two – Contai South and Serampore.
The Trinamool Congress was contesting seven seats – Alipur, Belgachia East, Serampore, Contai South, Egra, Bongaon and Rajgunj.Congress has fielded candidates in the remaining three seats, Sujapur, Kalchini and Goalpokhar.
Brisk polling was reported in three seats in Kerala – Kannur, Ernakulam and Alappuzha. In Assam, voting is being held for Salmara South and Dhekiajuli seats. Vaishali Nagar in Chhattisgarh is also going to the polls.
Central police force personnel have been deployed in Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.
Nearly 1900 polling stations have been identified as critical in UP where special security arrangements have been made along with deployment of micro observers and video cameras.
Counting of votes would take place on November 10.
–Agencies