Stage set for Assembly by-polls

NEW DELHI, FEB 21: Eleven Assembly constituencies spread in five States of Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Mizoram will hav...

NEW DELHI, FEB 21: Eleven Assembly constituencies spread in five States of Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Mizoram will have by-polls on Monday. In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is among the 70-odd candidates for these seats while in Delhi a keen tussle is expected between the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP and the ruling Congress for the Hauz Khas seat which had been bagged by former Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Ashok Gehlot is contesting from Sardarpura Jodhpur seat which was earlier vacated for him by Congress MLA Man Singh Deora. In all, 6.11 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise for the four seats in Rajasthan, to decide the fate of 15 candidates who are in the fray in the State.

Pitted against Gehlot is BJP8217;s Meghraj Lohia, a businessman. But the CM is believed to be on a better footing in Sardarpur as the segment constitutes a part of Jodhpur Lok Sabha constituency from where he has been winning since 1980 barring the 1989 elections.

Theother three constituencies going to polls in Rajasthan are Mundwa, Kumbhalgarh and Bheem.

In Delhi, all eyes are on the Hauz Khas constituency where Congress8217; Kiran Walia is pitted against BJP8217;s Hari Shankar Gautam. The latter found himself in the arena after Sushma Swaraj, who had won this seat in November 8217;98 Assembly elections, relinquished it thereafter. Twelve candidates are in the fray for the Hauz Khas seat.

In Nangloi Jat the second constituency in Delhi where the elections were cancelled following the murder of Samata Party candidate Ved Singh, the situation has taken an interesting turn with the party fielding the slain candidate8217;s mother Panmeshwari Devi. Among the 12 other candidates for the Nangloi seat, two other prominent ones are BJP8217;s Devender Shaukeen and Congress8217; P C Kaushi.

In Madhya Pradesh, by-elections will be held in two Assembly constituencies of Burhanpur and Hallari. The polls here were necessitated following the death of two MLAs, Shivkumar Singh Independent and DrRamesh BJP.In Gujarat too, polling will be held for two constituencies, Jetpur and Jodia, and some 2.70 lakh voters are expected to cast their votes.

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In Mizoram, four candidates are battling for the lone Khawbung Assembly constituency.

Counting of ballots will take place on February 24, while electronic voting machines will be used in Nangloi, Khallari, Burhampur, Sardarpura, Hauz Khas and Nangloi Jat.