Rajasthan polling: Scuffle breaks out at Sardarshahar assembly constituency

CHURU (Rajasthan): A scuffle broke out at a polling booth in Sardarshahar assembly constituency in Rajasthan while voting for assembly elections was underway on Saturday. Councillor representative Asif Khokhar alleged that he was assaulted by around five to seven people.

As per reports, heavy police force arrived at the 'Rajkiya Anjuman Vidyalaya' polling booth after receiving information about the fight. BJP candidate from the Sardarshahar assembly constituency Rajkumar Rinva is pitted against Congress Anil Kumar Sharma. Voting began in 199 out of 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan on Saturday after days of hectic campaigning by major political parties, including the ruling Congress and BJP.

Elections in the Karanpur constituency were adjourned following the death of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. Polling began at 7 am and voters can cast their ballots until 6 pm. Adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and fair elections.

The ruling Congress is eyeing another term while the BJP is seeking to replace the Ashok Gehlot government, with the party banking on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.

A total of 5,26,90,146 voters will decide the fate of the candidates at a total of 51,890 polling stations in the assembly constituencies. The high-voltage election campaigning wrapped up in Rajasthan on Thursday.

1,70,99,334 young voters in the 18-30 age group will vote, including 22,61,008 new voters in the 18-19 age group. A total of 1,02,290 security personnel have been deployed to ensure peaceful voting.

A total force of 69,114 police personnel, 32,876 Rajasthan Home Guard, Forest Guard and RAC personnel have been deployed and 700 companies of CAPF have been deployed, he added.

In 2018, the Congress won 99 seats, while the BJP won 73. Gehlot assumed the CM position with the support of BSP MLAs and independents.