Over 57% of voters cast their ballot in the first phase of Lok Sabha election in 12 of the 25 constituencies in Rajasthan on Friday. As many as 114 candidates are in the fray in the first phase in the State. The highest voter turnout of 65.64% was recorded in Sri Ganganagar seat, while the average turnout in the State was registered at 57.26%.
Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) clashed at Kuchera in Nagaur district over an open call allegedly made to the voters outside a polling booth for supporting a particular candidate. Kuchera Municipality chairperson Tejpal Mirdha, who was expelled from Congress recently, sustained injuries in his head during the clash.
The police used mild force to disperse the party workers and bring the situation under control. RLP candidate in Nagaur and party supremo Hanuman Beniwal has been supported by the Opposition Congress as a nominee of INDIA bloc. BJP candidate Jyoti Mirdha had quit the Congress and joined the ruling party in September 2023 ahead of the State Assembly election.
A Congress polling agent was allegedly attacked at Rampura Renu village in Churu district over the charge of bogus voting. The injured man, Vijendra Jakhar, who was rushed to the hospital, has lodged a complaint at Bhaleri police station. Congress candidate and sitting MP Rahul Kaswan in Churu had recently switched to the party after resigning from the BJP.
The voting was held in Churu, Nagaur, Sriganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner, Sikar, Jaipur City, Jaipur Rural, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Dausa Lok Sabha constituencies. Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said a total of 2.54 crore people were eligible to vote in the first phase, for which about 23,000 polling booths were set up.
Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and other leaders cast their votes in the initial hours. Mr. Sharma said after exercising his franchise at a polling station set up in Navodaya Mahila Teachers’ Training College in Siddharth Nagar here that the people in the State had confidence in the BJP’s guarantees.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra, who cast his ballot at his native village Dhani Kriparam in Sikar district, said no wave in favour of BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visible anywhere in the State. He said the Congress was convinced after the polling in Rajasthan that the INDIA bloc would form the government at the Centre.
