MP Assembly Election 2023: Over 70% Voter Turnout Recorded as Polling Ends

As per latest updates, over 71 % voters turnout was noted in Madhya Pradesh till 5 pm.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited the polling booth in Rehti on Friday.

Madhya Pradesh minister and BJP leader Narottam Mishra in Datia said that while keeping national interest in mind, the button with the ‘Lotus’ symbol on the EVM should be pressed.

As per information till 3pm, 60.52% voter turnout has been recorded in Madhya Pradesh.

“I believe more than 75 per cent voting will be done (in Madhya Pradesh). People want to vote for change. They are looking towards with hopeful eyes,” says Congress leader Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari.

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Friday claimed that one of his party workers was mowed down by a BJP candidate with his vehicle in Chhatarpur but the police are yet to take any action into the matter.

Singh made the remark while speaking to the reporters in the state capital Bhopal after casting his vote here. The Congress leader along with his wife cast their vote for the state assembly polls.

Singh said, “An incident has taken place in Rajnagar, Chhatarpur where one of our workers was mowed down by the BJP candidate with his vehicle. The Police have neither confiscated the vehicle so far nor has the candidate been arrested. Open hooliganism is taking place. The BJP president’s disciple is contesting the election from there. He has done illegal sand mining there. I have spoken with the Collector-SP. Our party is also giving a report to the Election Commission about the same. No action has been taken yet.”

The Congress leader further alleged that the police administration was working under pressure.

Madhya Pradesh home minister and BJP candidate Narottam Mishra on Friday stirred a political row with his remark that ‘celebrations in Pakistan’ will ensue if any political party other than BJP wins the ongoing state assembly election. He gave the remarks after casting his vote in Datia assembly constituency.

“In Madhya Pradesh, pressing the Lotus button is seen as a signal for the army to reinforce border security. The prospect of PM Modi winning has left Pakistan disappointed. The Kamal button is seen as a deterrent to terrorists, instilling fear in them,” Narottam Mishra told news agency PTI.

A BJP candidate and an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporter sustained injuries after unidentified persons opened fire in Madhya Pradesh’s Mehgaon Assembly constituency on Friday. A police team reached the spot on being informed of the incident, police said.

The single-phased polling for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly began at 7 am on Friday.The voters can cast their ballots until 6 pm, barring the Baihar, Lanji, and Parswara assembly seats of Balaghat district and some booths in Mandla and Dindori districts, where polling will be held until 3 pm.

“It is an inciting statement. Strict action should be taken against him (Narottam Mishra). He should be served notice immediately. This person has no right to contest the election,” says Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra’s ‘celebrations in Pakistan’ remark.

A total of 45.40 per cent of electorates exercised their franchise till 1:00 pm in Madhya Pradesh, where polling began in the morning for the 230-member assembly on Friday. There are 2,533 candidates in the fray including political heavyweights like Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his predecessor and rival Kamal Nath.

“It’s time for change in MP… Why CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan was waiting for election to launch his ambitious Ladli Bahna Scheme which is nothing but an attempt to buy vote by state money… Even the central leadership of the BJP was not sure about the success of Shivraj’s face this time that is why he has not been projected as next chief ministerial face in MP,” said Digvijaya Singh after casting his vote.

Madhya Pradesh Elections | Digvijaya Singh says, “…An incident has taken place in Chhatarpur where one of our workers was mowed down by the BJP candidate with his vehicle. The Police have neither confiscated the vehicle so far nor has the candidate been arrested. Open hooliganism is taking place. BJP president’s disciple is contesting the election from there. He has done illegal sand mining there. I have spoken with the Collector-SP. Our party is also giving a report to the Election Commission about the same…

Madhya Pradesh Elections | Heavy security deployed outside polling booths 147-148 of Dimani Assembly constituency, in Mirghan, Morena where one person was injured in an incident of stone pelting. The situation is now under control.

“People are coming out to vote in good numbers and the trends show that BJP has an edge. I have full faith that the BJP will be able to form a government with full majority,” says Union minister and BJP leader Narendra Singh Tomar after casting his vote in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

“BJP is making desperate attempts through money, police, administration. They distributed money and liquor yesterday; I even received videos,” says MP Congress chief Kamal Nath on MP minister Narottam Mishra’s ‘celebrations in Pakistan’ remark.

“Let Narottam Mishra himself win first and then talk about Pakistan,” he added.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday slammed Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for drawing analogies through films during her campaigning, saying she came to MP for entertainment and disrespecting democracy and people.

“Congress is not serious. I want to ask Priyanka Gandhi whether acting or Jai-Veeru’ or if a film can be made on Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is a poll issue. She has made fun of elections. It is disrespect to democracy and the people,” Chouhan said.

Liquor sales in Madhya Pradesh jumped by around 15 per cent between Monday and Wednesday evening before the state went dry ahead of Friday’s assembly polls to check malpractices, an excise official said. According to the official, 8,67,282 litres of all types of alcohol, including country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), was sold on November 13. The figures for the next two days stood at 9,17,823 and 8,81,550 litres, he said. Last year, alcohol sales were around 7,42,092 litres, 7,71,331 litres, and 7,67,273 litres on November 13, 14 and 15, respectively, he said.

Seeking to downplay the rise in alcohol sales, the official said every year, it goes up by about 10 per cent. He said in the last fiscal, liquor outlets were auctioned for Rs 11,700 crore in MP, which was done for Rs 12,800 in the current financial year as they anticipate a 10 per cent rise in demand. Since Diwali was on November 12, alcohol sales shot up due to the festive season, he said.

We kept an eye on liquor sales for the last three months in view of the elections. As per the directive of the Election Commission, we take drastic steps if liquor sales from a shop jump by 30 per cent, he added. Liquor shops, which were sealed off by the authorities at 6 pm on November 15 for 48 hours across MP to conduct free and fair polls, will reopen after voting ends for 230 assembly seats in the state on Friday evening.

This is a very old dialogue and has been said plenty of times. Narottam Mishra should be ashamed of saying this. This is our internal matter, democracy is alive in India unlike Pakistan. He is making senseless statements as they (BJP) are staring at a defeat (in Madhya Pradesh assembly election),” says Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on MP minister Narottam Mishra’s ‘celebrations in Pakistan’ remark.