Datia Bypolls: 48.91% Voter Turnout Till 1pm

Voting for the Datia byelections began at 7 am on Thursday, with a face-off between BJP candidate Ashutosh Tiwari and Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh. The voter turnout was 48.91% till 1 pm, with queues spotted at several polling stations.

The bypoll has garnered significant attention, as the BJP ditched its former home minister Narottam Mishra and gave the ticket to Tiwari. Despite Mishra publicly extending support to Tiwari, it remains to be seen if the senior leader has his junior's back.

Over 2.2 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise across 291 polling stations in the district. Strict security arrangements have been made to ensure free, fair, and peaceful voting. Additional Superintendent of Police Manjeet Singh Chawla inspected several polling stations in the town.

The BJP and Congress have both appealed to the public to vote for their respective candidates. The Congress tweeted, 'Let's vote in large numbers and make Congress victorious for a bright future of Datia.' The BJP tweeted, 'Voting is a festival of democracy. All voters in the Datia assembly constituency are requested to vote for the overall development of the area.'

Datia Collector Swapnil Vankhede said no incidents of violence have been reported from anywhere. A faulty CU, BU, and a faulty VVPAT were replaced under CCTV surveillance from some booths, and with the signatures of agents from all political parties.

BJP leader Narottam Mishra cast his vote for the Datia Assembly by-election. Reacting to Congress' allegations, Mishra called it the opposition's 'desperation and despondency.' He said, 'Whenever they lose, they invariably level some allegation or another.'

The voter turnout was 32.53% till 11 am, according to the ECINET app. The bypoll is being closely watched, as it is seen as a test of the BJP's strength in the state.

The outcome of the bypoll will be significant, as it will indicate the mood of the voters in the state. The bypoll is being held due to the resignation of the previous MLA.

The voting process is expected to continue till 6 pm, with the results being announced later. The bypoll has seen a intense campaign by both the BJP and the Congress, with several senior leaders visiting the constituency to campaign for their respective candidates.

In conclusion, the Datia bypoll has seen a significant voter turnout, with both the BJP and the Congress hoping to win the seat. The outcome of the bypoll will be closely watched, as it will have implications for the state's politics.