Rajasthan recorded 24.74 per cent polling for 199-Assembly constituencies
till 11.30 am on Saturday, the Election Commission informed.
Voting began at 7 am after days of hectic campaigning by major political
parties, including the ruling Congress and BJP.
However, polling for the Karanpur Assembly constituency was adjourned
following the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar.
Voters, who lined up outside their booths as the polling process got
underway on Saturday, can cast their votes until 6 pm.
Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and fair
elections, the polling officials informed earlier.
A total of 1,02,290 security personnel have been deployed to ensure
peaceful voting, an official said. As many as 69,114 police personnel, 32,876
Rajasthan Home Guard, Forest Guard, and RAC personnel, and 700 companies of
CAPF have also been deployed to ensure free and fair polling, he added.
The ruling Congress is eyeing another term while the BJP is seeking to
replace the Ashok Gehlot government, banking on the popularity of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
Prominent candidates in the fray include Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot,
former CM Vasundhara Raje, former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot, Congress national
spokesperson Gourav Vallabh, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, Vishwaraj
Singh Mewar, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, and Rajasthan LoP Rajendra
Rathore.
Many rebel candidates of the BJP and Congress withdrew their names after
being persuaded to do so. But still, about 45 rebel candidates from both
parties are in the fray. These also include MLAs, former MLAs, and party
officials.
The counting of votes has been scheduled for December 3. In 2018, the
Congress won 99 seats while the BJP finished a close second at 73.
Gehlot took oath as CM with the support of BSP MLAs and Independents.
Meanwhile, police personnel were deployed after a scuffle broke out at a
polling booth in Churu, hours after polling began in the state.
ANI
