Counting for Madhya Pradesh by-polls tomorrow

BHOPAL: The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh are eagerly waiting for the results to be declared tomorrow of the by-elections to three assembly seats held last week.

The counting of votes will take place tomorrow at Katni district headquarters for Bahoriband and Vijayraghavgarh seats and at Agar Malwa for Agar constituency.

The by-poll was necessitated in Bahoriband as sitting BJP MLA Prabhat Pandey passed away, while in Vijayraghavgarh it was held as sitting Congress MLA Sanjay Pathak joined BJP during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

In Agar, the by-poll was held after sitting BJP MLA Manohar Untwal got elected as MP from Dewas Lok Sabha seat.

Congress has raised the issue of scam in Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) and corruption to revive its fortunes in the state, where it has been out of power since 2003.

BJP focussed its campaign on development issues with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressing a series of meetings in all the three constituencies.

Just before the by-polls, Congress suffered a jolt when former MLA from Bahoriband, Nishith Patel, left the party to join BJP as he was opposing the candidature of Sourabh Singh, who joined Congress after leaving the BSP.

From Bahoriband, BJP has fielded Prabhat Pandey's son Pranav Pandey against Congress' Sourabh.

In Vijayraghavgarh, BJP has fielded former MLA Sanjay Pathak, who left Congress to join the saffron party, against former Katni Mayor Brajendra Mishra.

From Agar, BJP's Gopal Parmar is pitted against Rajkumar Gore of Congress.

The by-poll in three constituencies witnessed a higher turnout of 69.98 per cent, with Bahorband recording 71.80 per cent, Agar 70.09 per cent and Vijayraghavgarh 68.05 per cent.