MP polls: BJP, Cong hold training sessions for nominees ahead of counting

With only six days left before votes cast in recently-held Madhya Pradesh assembly elections will be counted on December 3, the main contenders BJP and Congress on Sunday organised separate training sessions for their candidates and counting agents.

The opposition Congress organised a training session in Bhopal while the BJP connected its candidates virtually.

Polling for 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh was held in a single phase on November 17.

"A training session was held for 230 candidates in two shifts in Bhopal," a Congress spokesman said.

Candidates and counting agents of seats from Rewa, Shahdol, Jabalpur and Gwalior-Chambal divisions participated in the first session which started at 11 AM. A separate session for candidates and counting agents from Indore, Ujjain, Narmadapuram, Bhopal and Sagar divisions was organised from 2.30 PM, he added.

The candidates were informed about the postal ballots, EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) counting and the related procedure during these training sessions, the spokesman said.

State Congress chief Kamal Nath addressed the party candidates and their election agents virtually and told them to work without any fear and pressure.

He told them to inform officials concerned if they find any discrepancies on the counting day to find a legal solution to the issues that may crop up.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party organised a training session via video link.

State BJP president VD Sharma told reporters that a virtual workshop was organised to provide training to the counting agents.

"They were informed about new norms (regarding the counting procedure) and technical information," Sharma said.

He said workshops will be organised for counting agents at the assembly segment level on November 29 and 30.