Turnout, violence high in Bharuch

BHARUCH, Sept 5: At least five people were critically injured in poll-related violence here even as a comparatively decent 49 per cent of...

BHARUCH, Sept 5: At least five people were critically injured in poll-related violence here even as a comparatively decent 49 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the 13th Parliamentary elections on Sunday.

As elsewhere in Central/South Gujarat, the day began on a dull note, with just 30 per cent votes being cast till 3 pm. The tempo picked up dramatically later, even as reports came in of two serious group clashes from Walia.

According to sources, the first sign of trouble came in the assault of an unidentified person, who was beaten up by Congress workers on the suspicion that he was trying to cast a bogus vote. Tension gripped Walia taluka again when groups of Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party workers clashed later in the afternoon.

A little before 5 pm, the tension resurfaced when workers of the two parties clashed yet again. Four unidentified people, all reportedly from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, were critically stabbed in the scuffle. They have been since rushed to various hospitals in Jhagadia and Bharuch.

While confirming the stabbings, District Collector and Returning Officer B B Swain said neither party had lodged a complaint till late in the evening.

In an incident of minor violence in Ankleshwar, a BJP worker identified as Praveenbhai was reportedly beaten up by Congress workers after he was caught red-handed while casting a fake vote. Swain claimed that the warring party workers had been pacified immediately by the administration and the police. 8220;Nowhere was the poll process affected in the district8221;, he claimed.

Unconfirmed reports said that a 10-strong group had been picked up from the Jhagadia area while travelling with an axe, iron rods and wooden sticks.Leaders of the BJP, Congress and Janata Dal, while dissociating themselves from the violence, expressed shock at the low turnout.

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However, BJP district secretary Hitendra Solanki, Dal State president Chhotubhai Vasava, former Rashtriya Janata Party which has since merged with the Congress minister Khumansinh Vansiya and district Congress leader Vijay Thakkar agreed that it indicated the masses8217; disillusionment with the politicians.

Political observers said the average turnout in the seven talukas of the district may do the BJP good. 8220;The polling in Muslim areas 8212; Congress pockets 8212; is less than 20 per cent. It8217;s slightly better in the BJP-dominated talukas8221;, sources said.

District Congress president Arun Rana, however, claimed just the opposite and said a good Muslim turnout plus a tribal candidate 8212; Dediapada MLA Amarsinh Vasava, who switched from the Dal to the Congress in the last fortnight 8211;ould win the battle for them.

Interestingly, while three assembly segments 8212; Bharuch, Ankleshwar and Jambusar 8212; are with the BJP in the Assembly, Mangrol, Waghra and Dediapada has Congress MLAs. The Dal, which fielded Anil Bhagat, is represented in the Assembly in only one segment: Chhotubhai Vasava from Jhagadia.