Lok Sabha elections 2024: Despite heat, Maharashtra shows up with 56.54 per cent

First-time voters exercise their right in east Vidarbha. Pics/X

An approximate voter turnout of 56.54 per cent was recorded in Lok Sabha polls held on Friday in Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli-Chimur in Vidarbha, though final figures will be updated on Saturday, an official said. The lowest voting was recorded in Nagpur at 51.20 per cent, while it was 66.30 per cent in Gadchiroli-Chimur, 56.87 in Bhandara-Gondia and 56.14 per cent in Chandrapur, he said.

Altogether 97 candidates, including Union minister Nitin Gadkari, are in the fray in Nagpur, Ramtek (SC), Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) constituency, all located in eastern-most parts of the state.

Pink-booths managed by ‘all-women' teams in Nagpur

The voter turnout stood at 34.56 per cent in Bhandara-Gondia till 1 pm, the official said. Chandrapur recorded a turnout of 30.96 per cent, Gadchiroli-Chimur 40.01 per cent, Nagpur 28.75 per cent and Ramtek 28.73 per cent till 1 pm, the official said.

The average turnout in the five seats was about 30.6 per cent till 1 pm, he said.

To avoid any technical snags cropping up in Electronic Voting Machines being used in remote polling booths in Gadchiroli, three spare EVMs were dispatched by a helicopter to the Sironcha area of the district, another official said.

Senior citizen coming to vote in a wheelchair in Vidarbha. Pic/X

Polling in the 43 other Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held in four more phases later this month and in May.

There are 95,54,667 voters in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in the Vidarbha region. Of these, 48,28,142 are male, 47,26,178 female and 347 transgender voters, an election official said.

In Nagpur, there is a direct fight between senior BJP leader Gadkari, who is seeking a third term, and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre. The high-profile constituency, which houses the RSS headquarters, has a total of 22,18,259 voters -- 11,10, 840 male, 11,07,197 female and 222 transgender persons.

Voters pose at selfie point after voting in Vidarbha. Pic/X

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Gadkari, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit were among those who voted in Nagpur.

In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is facing Congress nominee Pratibha Dhanorkar, wife of late parliamentarian Suresh Dhanorkar, who was the lone MP from the grand old party to be elected to the Lok Sabha from Maharashtra in 2019. Chandrapur has 18,36,314 voters, including 9,45,026 males and 8,91,240 females.

In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Mendhe, who is pitted against Congress candidate Dr Prashant Patole. Bhandara-Gondia has a total of 18,75,106 voters (9,36,041 males, 9,39,056 females and 12 transgenders).

Two-time Lok Sabha MP of BJP, Ashok Nete, is contesting against Congress nominee Dr Namdev Kirsan in Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), where some areas are affected by Naxal insurgency. The constituency has 16,12,930 voters (8,11,836 males, 8,01,082 females and 12 transgenders).

In Ramtek, the fight is between Shyamkumar Barwe of the Congress and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's candidate Raju Parwe. The constituency has a total of 20,45,717 voters (10,43,266 males, 10,02,396 females and 55 transgenders).

Five assembly segments, spread across two Lok Sabha seats, including Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur, are voting between 7 am and 3 pm, unlike other areas where voters can exercise their franchise until 6 pm.

In the assembly segments of Amgaon, Armori, Gadchiroli and Aheri of Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituency and Arjune Morgaon in Bhandara-Gondia seat, polling is being held between 7 am and 3 pm, the official said.

97
No. of candidates in the fray

Fadnavis casts vote in Nagpur

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote. Pic/PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cast his vote in Nagpur for the Lok Sabha elections on Friday.

The deputy CM arrived at the Dharampeth Hindi High School polling booth here along with his wife Amruta and mother Sarita Fadnavis shortly after 10 am.

Polling is being held in the Nagpur constituency, where Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari is pitted against Congress' Vikas Thakre, in the first phase.

Speaking with the media after casting his vote, he said the festival of democracy has begun in the country and urged people to exercise their franchise.