Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said that Naxalism in the state has retereated to a "great extent" due to which polling booths have been set up inside villages. He also said that there is a possibility of high voting percentage in naxal affected areas as the state undergoes first phase of polling for the 90-member Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
"Naxalism has retreated to a great extent with the work we have done in 5 years. As a result, polling booths have been set up inside villages. People will vote in their village itself. There is a possibility of high voting percentage in naxal affected areas," said Baghel, speaking to news agency ANI.
Reiterating poll promises, Baghel said, "Chhattisgarh Congress has always stood for the welfare of common people."
The polling began at 7 am for 10 out of 20 seats which will continue till 3 pm while for the remaining seats, the voting started at 8 am and will end at 5 pm today.
According to the poll officials, the 20 constituencies recorded a voter turnout of 10 per cent till 9:30 am as the polling was being held under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel, keeping a tight vigil in the seats in Naxalite-hit Bastar division.
Earlier in the day, a commando of the Central Reserve Police Force was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in Sukma district while his unit was undertaking an area domination operation to ensure security during the polls.
Congress leaders and State ministers Kawasi Lakhma (Konta seat) and Mohan Markam (Kondagaon), sitting Congress MLAs Chandan Kashyap (Narayanpur) and Savitri Mandavi (Bhanupratappur) were some of the early voters in the first phase of the polls.
BJP candidates and former ministers Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur) and Lata Usendi (Kondagaon) also voted early in the day.
