Stakes high for Modi, BJP

Voting is under way in byelections to three Lok Sabha and 33 assembly constituencies spread across ten states, seen as a test of Narendra Modi government's popularity, especially as BJP braces for polls in two states next month.

Amid elaborate security arrangements, polling was being held in 11 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, where the stakes are high for BJP.

The three Lok Sabha bypolls are in Vadodara (Gujarat), Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh) and Medak (Telangana). Among the assembly seats, nine in Gujarat, four in Rajasthan, two in West Bengal, five in Northeastern states and one each in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh are going to polls on Saturday.

Counting of votes is scheduled for September 16.

Polling percentage in 11 assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh remained moderate until 1pm yesterday.

Polling in Mainpuri, the Yadav bastion, also remained moderate, with 35.6% voters coming out to vote until 1pm.

About 40 per cent electorate today cast their franchise till 1pm in insurgency-hit Antagarh assembly seat of Chhattisgarh, where a gunbattle took place between ultras and security personnel in Amabeda forests.

Altogether 47 per cent polling was recorded till 1pm in the byelection to three Assam assembly constituencies of Silchar, Lakhipur and Jamunamukh today to decide the fate of 25 contestants, election office here said. Over 30 per cent polling was reported till noon in Medak parliamentary constituency in Telangana. In Nandigama assembly segment in Andhra Pradesh too, over 30 per cent polling was reported.