Low voter turnout in Varanasi due to improper arrangements, alleges Congress' Ajay Rai

Congress leader Ajay Rai on Monday charged that the low voter turnout in the last leg of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections was due to the lack of proper arrangements by the local administration.

He also said that Congress will gain a majority in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

After casting his vote in Varanasi, the Congress leader told ANI: "Not many people can be seen ... unlike earlier elections when long queues used to be seen outside the polling booths. They haven't made proper arrangements, and people are forced to stand in the open. People don't seem to be excited. Yet, we will get the majority."

He further said that the important issues of the elections are unemployment and inflation.

The Congress leader claimed that after the polling ends today, the prices of fuel will increase.

"The government is not doing anything to control inflation," he alleged.

Last month, Rai had stirred controversy, saying that after the results, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ''will be buried in salt".

Indicating that the BJP government is set to lose the elections, he had said, "Post results, the leaders, including Modi and Yogi, will be buried in the same salt (which the government claims to be giving free of cost to the people)."

These comments came in a video that had gone viral wherein Rai had commented on the UP government's scheme to provide salt and cooking oil along with free grains to the people.

Rai had contested the Lok Sabha elections against the Prime Minister from the Varanasi Parliamentary constituency twice.

Polling is underway for the last phase of the state Assembly elections. Till 1 pm, a voter turnout of over 35 per cent was recorded in the state.

A total of 613 candidates are in the electoral fray for the 54 Assembly constituencies spread across nine districts of Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar).

Voting for the last phase of the seven-phased Uttar Pradesh elections began at 7 am today and will continue till 6 pm.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

( With inputs from ANI )

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