Polling begins in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Polling on Saturday began in the two assembly constituencies of Todabhim and Salumber in Rajasthan, an official said.

"The voting began at 8 am and will continue till 5 pm We have made elaborate security arrangements for peaceful polls," an official of the Rajasthan electoral office told IANS.

"We have set up 482 polling booths for the two constituencies," he added.

More than 194,500 voters, including 90,102 women, are expected to exercise their franchise in Todabhim to decide the fate of seven candidates, including one woman candidate, who are in the fray.

In Salumber, over 204,500 voters, including 100,000 women, would cast their votes to decide the fate of six candidatates, including one woman candidate.

The by-elections are being held here after legislator Kiroril Lal Meena, an independent from Todabhim, and Raghuveer Meena from Salumber vacated the seats after successfully contesting Lok Sabha polls from Dausa and Udaipur Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.

In Todabhim, which is a Meena community dominated constituency, the fight is mainly between Congress party's Shivdayal Meena and Bharatiya Janata Party's Ramesh Chand Meena.

The Congress is facing a danger from the rebels as four of its former members are fighting as independents from here.

In Salumbar too, the fight is mainly between the Congress candidate Basanti and BJP's Amrat Lal.