Two persons — one security personnel and one government servant— deployed for election duty in Madhya Pradesh died on Thursday after complaining of chest pain.
Chief Electoral Officer of M.P., Anupam Rajan said that Bhimrao Patankar, a watchman with the State Public Health Engineering Department, who was posted for poll duties in Betul district’s Multai constituency, complained of chest pain during the distribution of polling material.
Mr. Patankar passed away due to heart attack, he added.
Mr. Rajan said that a CISF personnel deployed in Tikamgarh district, Jarnail Singh, a resident of Punjab’s Ludhiana, also passed away due to a heart attack during treatment at a hospital in Jhansi.
Meanwhile, a day before the polling in the State, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered prayers a Narmada river ghat in his constituency, Budhni. Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Chouhan hit out at Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
“I had not imagined that Priyanka ji can stoop this low. She is (talking about actors, films and saying that there should be a film on Modi ji or Mama (as Mr. Chouhan is fondly called). Does an election take place for acting or movies? Elections take place on the issues of people,” he said.
“They sometimes bring in Jai-Veeru or Gabbar or some other actors. This shows the Congress does not have issues and has come down to a low level,” he said.
Congress leader Kamal Nath also offered prayers at a Hanuman temple in his pocket borough Chhindwara. Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Nath said, “I have prayed that the future of the State remains safe. It is a big need today. I have sought the blessings of Hanuman ji for every person of Madhya Pradesh.”
More than 5.6 crore voters of Madhya Pradesh will cast their votes today to elect their 230 representatives for the State Assembly.
The polling will begin at 7 a.m. and will conclude at 6 p.m. barring three seats of Balaghat district — Baihar, Lanji and Paraswada, and 55 booths and 40 booths in Mandla and Dindori districts, respectively, where the polling will end at 3 p.m, Mr. Rajan said.
The three districts come under the Naxalism-affected part of the State. A total of 2,533 candidates, including 252 women and one transperson, are in the poll fray.
