56% cast vote in JMC election

The election of Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JMC) witnessed 56.81% voting on Sunday, which is around 4% higher compared to the last election in 2004.

According to sources, though bookies favour BJP, the Congress, too, has a good chance of winning.

There were 162 candidates in fray for the 51 seats of the civic body. Chief minister Narendra Modi took special interest in this elections and sent high-profile leaders for campaigning.

Interestingly, lowest voting (48.90%) was registered in the ward from where Mahendra Mashru, MLA from Junagadh, was contesting, while the ward from which Bhavnaben Chikhaliya, former union minister, was contesting witnessed 53.13% voting. Ward number one, where no high-profile candidate was contesting, witnessed the highest voting at 67%.

The BJP has fielded five Muslim candidates in the municipal corporation election. However, their chances of victory are said to be remote. The result will be declared on July 21.