New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) Amid brisk polling at most booths in the national Capital, some 8.50 per cent of East Delhi’s 16 lakh voters cast their votes in the first two hours of the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.
More than 200 of the total 900 voters cast their votes till 9.30 a.m. at a polling booth in Pandav Nagar and long queue was witnessed outside polling booths in Ganesh Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Preet Vihar, Gandhi Nagar and Seelampur.
Among the larger and more densely populated constituencies of the state, East Delhi comprises eight Assembly constituencies — Wazirabad, Narela, Geeta Colony, Gandhi Nagar, Krishan Nagar, Shahdara, Rohtas Nagar and Ghonda.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded cricketer-turned politicial Gautam Gambhir from the seat, against Congress’ Arvinder Singh Lovely, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Atishi and 24 other candidates in the fray.
“I chose to vote early to avoid the heat later in the day. Most people in Ganesh Nagar turned up to cast their votes in the morning. My neighbours started queueing up at polling booths since 7 a.m.,” said Pranav Doval, a student.
Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase-3, said: “AAP’s Atishi has done a lot for education, but I don’t agree with (Chief Minister) Kejriwal’s politics. Ultimately, the election is for the prime minister. I have voted for democracy.”
Neelam Vasudev, a resident of Laxmi Nagar, said: “Parties don’t matter to me. I am voting for a good prime minister as well for the candidate, who will represent me for next five years. The better candidate would get the benefit.”
–IANS
rak/rtp