'People have blessed PM Modi...', says MP BJP president VD Sharma as party crosses halfway mark

As BJP crosses the halfway mark and leads on 133 seats in the state as per official EC trends, Madhya Pradesh BJP president VD Sharma on Sunday said that the drive ‘Madhya Pradesh ke mann mein Modi aur Modi ke mann mein Madhya Pradesh’ blessed the party with the ‘comprehensive mandate’.

Addressing the reporters on Sunday, Sharma said, “We had said ‘Madhya Pradesh ke mann mein Modi aur Modi ke mann mein Madhya Pradesh’ - people blessed this drive…I am proud that with the work of booth-level workers of the BJP, we are fulfilling the resolution of 51% voting in every booth. I am proud of BJP workers, people have blessed PM Modi….” Counting of votes in elections to the 230-member state assembly held on 17 November, began at 8 am on Sunday, a poll official said. Postal ballots were counted between 8 am and 8.30 am, after which the counting of votes through EVMs began in the presence of officials and political parties’ authorised agents, he said. Polling in the single-phase elections in the state saw an impressive turnout of 77.82 per cent, surpassing the 2018 voting percentage of 75.63 per cent, state Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan said. In last month’s elections, 77.15 per cent polling was recorded through the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the remaining through postal ballots, he said. The ruling BJP, in power in the state for most of the last two decades, is facing a challenge from the Congress. Most exit polls haven’t indicated a clear winner. The state electorate voted for 2,533 candidates in 230 constituencies. There were 5.59 lakh eligible voters. With inputs from agencies