45% turnout in Rae Bareli bypoll

There was an estimated 45 per cent voter turnout in Monday's bypoll to the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency from where Congress President Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election. Polling was said to be "by and large peaceful", even as a Samajwadi Party worker was injured in a firing incident near a polling station in Amrawa.

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties continued to train their guns at Sonia Gandhi's daughter and polling agent Priyanka Vadra, although it was her brother Rahul Gandhi who had led their mother's campaign in Rae Bareli this time.

SP leader Beni Prasad Verma told mediapersons on Monday that Priyanka was moving in a motorcade of 12 vehicles to influence voters. The party had yesterday accused her of hatching a conspiracy to indulge in booth capturing.

The SP leaders had also objected to her stay in the constituency after the end of campaigning, citing her SPG security, but the electoral officer had turned it down as she was an election agent.

Priyanka, who has been nursing her mother's constituency, focussed on training party workers at the booth level in this election, although she did show up with her mother during the latter's visit to the constituency. The ruling SP in Uttar Pradesh apparently looks at her as a potentially bigger threat given her popularity in Rae Bareli as also outside the constituency.

A la her grandmother late Indira Gandhi, she has displayed her flair to establish instant rapport with the people. Her unscheduled stopovers to chat with villagers and women working near roads has made her immensely popular among the masses.

Priyanka predicted an easy win for her mother. Absence of a strong rival made party workers complacent, but it would not affect the electoral fortunes of her mother, she said.

"We have always won by a record (margin) in Rae Bareli. This time also, Sonia Gandhi will win by a record margin," said Priyanka.

Meanwhile, in West Bengal, a total of 70 per cent of the 81.76 lakh electorate voted peacefully in 49 assembly seats spread over six districts in the fifth and last phase of the assembly elections.

In Tamil Nadu, a record 65 per cent of the 4.63 crore voters, the highest since 1991, exercised their franchise.