Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt wishes to first-time voters in Rajasthan as the polling for 199 Assembly seats started on Saturday morning. Using his official platform on the social media network X, the Prime Minister urged voters to participate in large numbers, emphasizing the importance of achieving a record turnout.
“Voting will be held today for the Rajasthan Assembly. I request voters across all age groups to come out in big numbers and exercise their franchise. I would also like to convey my best wishes to all my young friends who are going to vote for the first time,” PM Modi posted in Hindi on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Despite the upbeat commencement of voting, a somber note was struck as elections in the Karanpur constituency were adjourned following the unfortunate passing of Congress candidate Gurmeet Singh Koonar. The polling process, which began at 7 am, will continue until 6 pm, with rigorous security arrangements in place to ensure a peaceful and fair electoral exercise.
The political arena is charged with the ruling Congress aspiring for another term, while the BJP seeks to replace the Ashok Gehlot government, capitalizing on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fate of candidates will be unveiled on December 3 during the vote counting.
A staggering 5,26,90,146 voters are expected to cast their ballots across 51,890 polling stations, reflecting the democratic fervor in the state. Notably, 1,70,99,334 young voters in the 18-30 age group, including 22,61,008 new voters aged 18-19, will play a significant role in shaping the electoral outcome.
To ensure a secure voting process, a comprehensive security apparatus has been put in place, with 1,02,290 personnel deployed, comprising 69,114 police personnel, 32,876 Rajasthan Home Guard, Forest Guard, and RAC personnel, along with the deployment of 700 companies of CAPF.
As the high-voltage election campaigning concluded on Thursday, the focus now shifts to the unfolding electoral narrative, where the Congress won 99 seats and the BJP secured 73 in the 2018 elections. Chief Minister Gehlot assumed the CM position with the support of BSP MLAs and independents, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral event this year.
