Click to play videoNew Delhi: The first phase of polling for Chhattisgarh Assembly began at 0700 hrs IST on Friday.
The Naxal-affected areas of Dantewada, Konta, Bijapur, Chitrakote, Narayanpur, Bhanupratappur, Anagarh, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Kanker started to vote early due to security concerns. Polling in the above-mentioned areas will end at 1500 hrs IST.
However, for the rest of the constituencies in the first phase, polling began at 0800 hrs IST and will end at 1700 hrs IST.
The districts which are voting on Friday are Bastar, Dantewada, Dhamtari, Durg, Kabirdham, Kanker, Mahasamund and Rajnandgaon.
Some police officials refused to go on duty in the Naxal-afftected district of Dantewara and have been suspended.
Chhattisgarh Inspector General (Intelligence) CM Awasthi confirmed that police officials have been suspended and also revealed that there has been firing in the area.
"We have some information of firing in Dantewada. Police party has already reached the spot and it is basically the job of Naxals. Police force is on high alert and we are committed for free and fair elections in the state," Awasthi said.
There are 380 candidates in the fray, and approximately 64 lakh voters.
In the 2003 Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the government in the state winning 50 seats compared to Congress's 37. Other smaller parties won three seats.
In terms of vote share the BJP had nearly 40 per cent of the votes, Congress almost 37 per cent while other political parties won 24 per cent of the votes.
The Star News-AC Nielsen Poll predicts that the BJP will improve it's performance at the cost of the Congress.
It estimates that the BJP could win 55 seats and the Congress's tally could come down to 33 while two seats will be won by smaller political parties.
Some of the people whose fate is going to be decided in Friday's election include Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is contesting from Rajnandgaon.
Salwa Judum founder and Leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh Assembly Mahendra Karma is contesting from Dantewada while Arun Vora, the son of All India Congress Committee treasurer Motilal Vora is contesting from Durg Assembly constituency.
Chhattisgargh is plauged by Naxalism and the worst-affected districts include Baster, Dantewara, Kanker, Kawardha, Rajnandgaon, Sarguja, Korba, Jashpur, Bijapur and Narayanpur.
Polling for the remaining 51 seats is to be held in the second phase on November 20.
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