60 percent polling in municipal corporation in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: Around 60 per cent voter turnout was on Monday recorded in election for the Mayor and wards under the newly formed Birgaon Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Chhattisgarh, where polling was by and large peaceful.

"About 60 per cent of the 78,707 registered voters exercised their franchise in Birgaon Municipal Corporation which saw polling between 8 AM and 5 PM," a state election official told PTI.

The fate of 202 candidates - 16 for Mayoral post and 186 for Corporators of 40 wards - were locked in the EVMs.

Barring a minor scuffle where police used mild force to control crowd, the polling was peaceful amid tight security, he said.

BJP has fielded Ambika Yadu for the post of Mayor, who is being elected in direct voting, while Sunita Vedprakash Dewangan is the Congress candidate.

The result would be announced on November 19.The election to BMC (in Raipur district) is being seen as a litmus test for the ruling BJP which is in power in the state since the last 12 years.

Notably, Congress had put up a good show in elections to 10 municipal corporations in Chhattisgarh held in 2014-15. The Opposition party had won four of these Corporations, while BJP's tally came down to four, two less than the last time.