Lok Sabha polls: Former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh urges people to vote in record numbers

Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 19 (ANI): As the country votes in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, former Chhattisgarh CM and State Assembly Speaker Raman Singh on Friday urged the people to vote in record numbers.
"These elections, the festival of democracy have come with possibilities for the country. Bastar is voting today in the first phase of the election. I urge all voters to vote in large numbers. I also appeal to the first-time voters and youths to come and cast their votes in maximum numbers," Singh said.
The electoral exercise commenced at 7 am today in 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories. Voters will exercise their franchise until 6 pm today.
One (Bastar) out of the state's 11 constituencies is going to the polls today.
The Bastar constituency, deemed crucial among the state's 11 Lok Sabha seats, is predominantly inhabited by tribal communities. It is currently represented by incumbent MP Deepak Baij of Congress, who secured victory on the party ticket in 2019.
The BJP has fielded Mahesh Kashyap from Bastar, whereas the Congress nominated its senior tribal leader and former minister Kawasi Lakhma to contest the Bastar (ST) seat in Chhattisgarh, replacing its sitting MP Deepak Baij, who is also the president of the state Congress unit.
In the 2019 elections, Deepak Baij of the Congress party emerged victorious in Bastar, securing a notable mandate with 402,527 votes and 44.1. per cent of votes.
Baidu Ram Kashyap of the BJP garnered 363,545 votes, resulting in a victory margin of 38982 votes.
The BJP, which has a stronghold in Chhattisgarh, won 9 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha, while the Indian National Congress (INC) was limited to only 2 seats.
The other 10 parliamentary constituencies of Chhattisgarh will go to Lok Sabha polls in two phases; April 26 and May 7. The counting of votes will be done on June 4. (ANI)