High-stakes election contest starts with voting in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram
Hindustan TimesVoting for a crucial round of assembly elections kicked off in Mizoram and parts of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, heralding the start of a weeks-long polling exercise widely regarded as a weathervane ahead of next year’s national elections. Mizoram recorded a turnout of 77.83% till 9pm, while voting in 20 seats of Chhattisgarh clocked 71.80%, even as stray clashes between security forces and Maoists in the state’s troubled Bastar region left four Central Reserve Police Force personnel injured. Inspector general of police Sunderaj P said that around 60,000 security personnel — 40,000 from the Central Armed Police Forces and 20,000 from the state police — were deployed across the state to keep voters safe and the process peaceful. As voting was underway, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said Maoism in the state has retreated to a great extent with the work done in five years. After November 17, they will take a break,” chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said, referring to the central agency’s probe in the Mahadev betting app scam.