Jaipur: Campaigning on Tuesday came to an end for the first phase of General Elections on April 17 in 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.
"Public meetings, rallies, processions, road shows, campaigning through electronic media and SMSes came to an end at 6 PM in 20 LS constituencies, which are going to polls on April 17," a spokesperson of Chief Electoral Office said here.
Over 3.80 crore electors would exercise their franchise in first phase polls to decide the fate of 239 candidates, including 20 each of Congress and BJP, who are in the fray.
The state will have a two-phase polling on 25 seats in the state, of which 20 LS constituencies are going to polls on April 17, while remaining five in the second phase on April 24.
As many as 38,835 polling booths have been set up these 20 constituencies. There are 17 women contestants in the fray of these, six are from Congress, including three sitting MPs and one from BJP.
The three sitting women MPs include Girija Vyas from Chittorgarh, Jyoti Mirdha from Nagaur, Chandresh Katoch from Jodhpur while the new faces are Raj Bala Ola from Jhunjhunu, Munni Devi from Pali, and Reshma Malviya from Banswara. BJP has given ticket to one woman candidate Santosh Ahlawat from Jhunjhunu seat.
BJP`s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi held six rallies in Jayal, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Banswara, Bhopalgarh and Barmer, while Congress President Sonia Gandhi one Paota. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi held meetings in three constituencies` segments of Devali, Jhunjhunu and Udaipur in last fortnight.
Over 38,000 state government employees have been deployed for elections duty and would start leaving for their duties after a final round of training tomorrow, the spokesperson said.
The 20 LS constituencies going to polls are: Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Ajmer, Nagaur, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota, and Jhalawar-Baran.
