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Campaign comes to end in four states
New Delhi, Nov 29: The heat and dust generated by two weeks of acrimonious electioneering settled this evening for Monday`s assembly polls in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, seen as `semifinals` to next year`s Lok Sabha elections.
New Delhi, Nov 29: The heat and dust generated by two weeks of acrimonious electioneering settled this evening for Monday`s assembly polls in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, seen as "semifinals" to next year`s Lok Sabha elections.
As the clock struck 5 pm, the blaring of loud speakers and public meetings in support of candidates came to a close and their supporters fanned out for door-to-door canvassing to woo an estimated nine crore voters in four states where Congress is trying to retain power.
While Congress has brought up corruption as its main poll plank in the wake of cash-on-camera scam involving Judeo, who subsequently resigned from the union ministry, its main rival BJP sought to cash in on lack of development in these states and "achievements" of the NDA government at the Centre.
Maintaining a watchful eye, the Election Commission strictly enforced the model code of conduct restraining the centre from issuing advertisements tom-tomming its achievements, preventing Chhattisgarh government from distributing school bags carrying Chief Minister Ajit Jogi`s photo and even issuing a notice to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for using a state helicopter.
The panel also transferred some officials in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for violation of the poll code.
Elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct free and fair polls in the four states whose outcome may set off fresh political alignments ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been introduced in all the four states to help the voters choose easily the candidates of their choice from the over 5,000 aspirants.
Among those whose fate would be sealed in Monday`s elections are Chief Ministers of the four states - Digvijay Singh (Raghogarh), Ajit Jogi (Marwahi), Ashok Gehlot (Sardarpura) and Sheila Dikshit (Gole Market).
BJP general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan, senior party leader Nand Kumar Sai, executive-turned-politician Mahendra Jhabak and BJP MP Kirti Azad`s wife Poonam are the main candidates contesting respectively against Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Other prominent candidates in the fray are BJP`s chief ministerial candidates Vasundhara Raje from Jhalarpatan against Congress MP Rama Pilot in Rajasthan, Uma Bharati from Bada Malhera in Madhya Pradesh against Jagdish Shukla (Cong), Madan Lal Khurana against Congress student leader Alka Lamba from Moti Nagar in Delhi.
Both BJP and Congress fielded several film stars for their campaign, which also witnessed whirlwind tours to the four states by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Bureau Report
As the clock struck 5 pm, the blaring of loud speakers and public meetings in support of candidates came to a close and their supporters fanned out for door-to-door canvassing to woo an estimated nine crore voters in four states where Congress is trying to retain power.
While Congress has brought up corruption as its main poll plank in the wake of cash-on-camera scam involving Judeo, who subsequently resigned from the union ministry, its main rival BJP sought to cash in on lack of development in these states and "achievements" of the NDA government at the Centre.
Maintaining a watchful eye, the Election Commission strictly enforced the model code of conduct restraining the centre from issuing advertisements tom-tomming its achievements, preventing Chhattisgarh government from distributing school bags carrying Chief Minister Ajit Jogi`s photo and even issuing a notice to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for using a state helicopter.
The panel also transferred some officials in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for violation of the poll code.
Elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct free and fair polls in the four states whose outcome may set off fresh political alignments ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been introduced in all the four states to help the voters choose easily the candidates of their choice from the over 5,000 aspirants.
Among those whose fate would be sealed in Monday`s elections are Chief Ministers of the four states - Digvijay Singh (Raghogarh), Ajit Jogi (Marwahi), Ashok Gehlot (Sardarpura) and Sheila Dikshit (Gole Market).
BJP general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan, senior party leader Nand Kumar Sai, executive-turned-politician Mahendra Jhabak and BJP MP Kirti Azad`s wife Poonam are the main candidates contesting respectively against Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
Other prominent candidates in the fray are BJP`s chief ministerial candidates Vasundhara Raje from Jhalarpatan against Congress MP Rama Pilot in Rajasthan, Uma Bharati from Bada Malhera in Madhya Pradesh against Jagdish Shukla (Cong), Madan Lal Khurana against Congress student leader Alka Lamba from Moti Nagar in Delhi.
Both BJP and Congress fielded several film stars for their campaign, which also witnessed whirlwind tours to the four states by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Bureau Report