Jaipur, April 29 (IANS) Polling for 13 parliamentary seats in Rajasthan started at 7 am on Monday.
Over 2.57 crore voters will vote to seal the fate of 115 candidates,which includes 108 males and seven females in the first phase of polling in Rajasthan on Monday.
The second phase of elections in the state will be held on May 6 for 12 seats.
Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje cast her vote in Jhalawad.
Speaking with media, she said, “Many youngsters are casting their votes in this election. They seem quite excited. I hope people vote in large numbers,” she said.
According to Anand Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, the 2.57 crore voters include 1.32 crore males and 1.24 crore females.
The candidates in fray count 13 from Congress, 13 from BJP, 10 from BSP, 2 from Communist Party of India, 34 from different parties and 43 as independent candidates.
Around 6.5 lakh first time voters are using their right to vote. A total of 51,965 voting centres have been created in the state for polling, Kumar added.
Out of these, the voters shall cast their votes in 28,152 voting centres in the first phase of election in Rajasthan, he added.
The 13 seats going to poll on Monday include Jodhpur (19.51 lakh voters), Barmer (19.39 lakh voters), Jalore (20.899 voters), Udaipur (20.69 lakh voters), Banswara ( 19.75 lakh voters), Chittaurgarh (20.15 lakh voters), Rajsamand (19.9 lakh voters), Bhilwara (19.95 lakh voters), Tonk-Sawai Moadhopur (19.43 lakh voters), Ajmer (18.72 lakh), Pali (21.56 lakh). Kota (19.47 lakh), Jhalawad-Baran 19.3 lakh voters.
The maximum voters are in Pali while the minimum voters are in Ajmer, he confirmed.
Many strong candidates, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat who is contesting on BJP ticket from Jodhpur, were seen standing in queues waiting for their turn to cast votes.
The fate of strong candidates including Shekhawat, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot, Jaipur princess and BJP candidate Diya Kumari, Congress candidate Manvendra Singh and Union Minister of State PP Choudhary shall be decided on Monday.
There are over 26,000 service voters in the state and over 1.12 lakh employees have been deputed at different voting centres.
–IANS
arc/vin/