India Elections: Third phase hit by heat wave, turnout 50 per cent

By M Rama Rao, India Editor, Asian Tribune

New Delhi, 01 May, (Asiantribune.com): The political TNA Member of Parliament M.K.Sivajilingham: What is he up to in India? (File Photo)fortunes of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, BJP’s prime ministerial hopeful Lal Krishna Advani and some 1500 others were sealed as the third round of polling in the Indian parliamentary election ended on a dull note on Thursday.

The Election Commission estimates the turnout at around 50per cent in the 10-hour long polling in107 constituencies on a blazing summer day in nine states and two union territories. ‘The entire poll process was absolutely peaceful and extremely satisfactory’, Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters here. There were nevertheless some incidents of violence in West Bengal, where the local opposition has charged the ruling Left Front of rigging on a massive scale.

Two more rounds of polling are slated for May 7 and May 13. Counting will be taken up on May 16.

The 14 constituencies in West Bengal, where the polling was held for the first time in this election, recorded the highest turnout of 64 per cent followed by Karnataka (57), Gujarat (50) and Maharashtra (45 per cent).

India’s financial hub, Mumbai has however seen a moderate turnout of voters thus belying expectations that the metropolis would turn out in great number to exercise its choice to ushering in change it has been clamouring since the 26/11 of last year.

TN BJP Denial

Tamil Nadu BJP has denied that Sri Lankan Tamil MP Sivajilingam had canvassed votes for the party, as alleged by the Congress. ; ‘He is not our campaign manager’, BJP state vice-president H Raja was quoted as telling local reporters on Thursday in Chennai.
He added: ‘Sivajilingam has only expressed support to us... he has not spoken anything against India and only highlighted the situation in Sri Lanka’.

Raja also asserted that his party was prepared to face any action on this score. He said this when pointed out that the Congress had taken the issue to the poll body.

- Asian Tribune -