Slow start to polling in Chhattisgarh

18% turnout during the first few hours; polling peaceful.

Balloting for the Antagarh assembly bypoll in Chhattisgarh progressed at a slow pace Saturday, officials said.

Around 18 percent of the 151,000 electorate cast its vote in the initial few hours, officials said, adding the polling was peaceful.

The polling for the Schedule Tribe constituency started at 7 a.m. in 202 polling stations and will be on till 3 p.m.

The election was necessitated as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Vikram Usendi resigned after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kanker.

Chhattisgarh has always witnessed a bipolar contest between the ruling BJP and the Congress. However, this bypoll will be an exception as only two candidates are in fray after as many as 10 candidates withdrew their nominations in one hour Aug 30.