Rajasthan polls: Over 40 per cent voter turnout until 1 pm

More than 40 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the Rajasthan assembly elections until 1 pm on Saturday, officials said.

Polling in 199 assembly segments in the state began at 7.00 am. The voting percentage till 1 pm was 40.27, an official said.

The Tijara assembly segment recorded the highest voter turnout of 52.36 per cent till 1 pm, while Churu saw the lowest voting of 32 per cent, the official said.

Nearly 10 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in the first two hours of voting and the figure went up to nearly 25 per cent by 11 am.

Voting will continue until 6 pm. Polling is being held for 199 out of the 200 assembly segments in the state.

More than 5.25 crore voters will decide the fate of 1,862 candidates in these 199 seats. Polling in the Karanpur assembly segment in Sriganganagar has been postponed owing to the death of the Congress candidate.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said there is no anti-incumbency against the Congress and the party will form the government in the state again. "There seems to be an undercurrent. Looks like the (Congress) government will be repeated," he said.

Gehlot told PTI in Jodhpur that the Congress focused its campaign on development issues while BJP leaders, including the prime minister, home minister and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, used provocative language.

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged voters in Rajasthan to vote in favour of the party for "guarantee" of their happiness.

Kharge in a post on X said, "Savings, relief, growth and flying high of dreams, People benefiting from welfare schemes…Will choose only Rajasthan! The aware people of Rajasthan know that their valuable vote is the guarantee of their happiness.

"The people of Rajasthan, the land of great heroes and symbol of social unity, are requested to vote. Make sure that there are no obstacles in your improving life. There is an appeal to young friends and first time voters to cast their vote. Choose Social Security, Choose economic empowerment, Choose only the guarantee of prosperity and development," the Congress president wrote.

The votes will be counted on 3 December.