By-elections to three parliamentary and two assembly constituencies in Rajasthan and West Bengal will be conducted today. Results will be declared on February 1.
In Rajasthan, the bypolls will be held in Alwar and Ajmer parliamentary constituencies and Mandalgarh assembly constituency. The Uluberia parliamentary and Noapara assembly constituencies will go to the polls in West Bengal.
The battle for Lok Sabha seats of Alwar and Ajmer along with the Assembly seat of Mandalgarh is crucial for ruling Bharatiya Janata Party as it is facing anti-incumbency, especially fuelled by dissent by Rajput communities over the release of the controversial film Padmaavat.
All the preparations to hold the elections have been made, Ajmer District Election Officer Gaurav Goyal told PTI on Friday. Electronic voting machines with voter-verified paper audit trail units will be used in all the polling stations.
In Rajasthan, the ruling BJP and opposition Congress held public meetings to woo voters in constituencies. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje conducted road shows in Beegod (Mandalgarh) and Ajmer, while Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot addressed a gathering in Pushkar.
Pilot, accompanied by several party leaders, also conducted a road show in Ajmer city. Other leaders from both the parties addressed public meetings in Alwar also
