Assembly polls: Counting underway in four states

NEW DELHI: Amid tight security arrangements, counting of votes in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh began today which will seal the fate of several political heavy weights in the Assembly elections.

The results are being keenly watched as they are considered the semi-finals ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

In Delhi, the electoral fate of three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, her challengers from BJP Harsh Vardhan and Aam Admi Party Arvind Kejriwal and over 800 other candidates will be known today.The polling had taken place on December 4.

While BJP fielded candidates in 66 constituencies, Congress and AAP contested in all the 70 seats. BSP, the third largest party in the last assembly election, fielded candidates in 69 seats, NCP in nine and Samajwadi Party in 27 seats. A total of 224 independents were also in the fray.

Counting of votes for Chhattisgarh Assembly elections, which witnessed a record 77.32 percent voter turnout, began this morning for all the 90 constituencies.

Tight security measures are in place in Naxal-affected districts of the State, where voting was held on November 11 and 19 to elect a new 90-member Assembly.

The counting began at 8 AM at 27 district headquarters in the state where 22,158 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were kept in rooms under heavy security.

The fate of 985 candidates including Chief Minister Raman Singh, his cabinet colleagues, state assembly speaker Dharamlal Kaushik, leader of opposition Ravindra Choubey will be decided today.

Counting of votes for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections began this morning simultaneously at 51 district headquarters for the 230 constituencies

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, whose party fought the elections on the development plank, is eyeing a hat-trick in the elections even as the Opposition Congress has expressed confidence of winning the polls.

In Rajasthan, counting of votes in 199 Assembly constituencies out of 200, which went to poll on December 1, commenced at 8 AM.

37 centres have been set up for counting in 33 districts of Rajasthan.