Chhattisgarh bypoll: Counting of votes on Saturday

Counting of votes in Antagarh Assembly constituency of Chhattisgarh, where bypoll was held on September 13, will be taken up tomorrow.

The Naxal-hit constituency in Kanker district saw a direct fight between BJP's Bhojraj Naag and Rupdhar Pudo of Ambedkarite Party of India. The Congress candidate had withdrawn from the contest at the last minute, leaving the main Opposition party red faced.

All preparations have been done at the Bhanupratap Dev PG College in Kanker where counting will start at 8 am amid tight security, an election official told PTI. The entire exercise will be completed in 15 rounds and it will be video-graphed, he said.

A healthy 58.73 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the bypoll necessitated by the resignation of sitting BJP legislator Vikram Usendi after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kanker.

Fourteen candidates had filed their nominations but after scrutiny and withdrawal only two - Naag and Pudo - were left in the fray.

Congress, struggling after facing a humiliating defeat in both Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in April-May, had fielded Manturam Pawar from Antagarh.

However, in an embarrassment for the party, Pawar pulled out of the race a day before the last day of withdrawal of nominations following which he was expelled from Congress.