Raipur, April 23: Voting for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh ended. The polling which was held in seven parliamentary constituencies –Surguja, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Bilaspur, Durg, Raipur began at 7 am today.  A total of 68.02 percent voter turnout was recorded in the state. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel cast his vote in Durg. Total 1,27,13,816 voters, including 64,16,252 men, 62,96,992 women and 572 members of the third gender, were eligible to exercise their franchise in the third phase for which 15,408 polling booths were set up. Chhattisgarh Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Schedule: Constituency-Wise Dates Of Voting And Results For General Elections.

Meanwhile, IED blast was reported in Chhattisgarh. Naxals triggered IED near Bandarchua area at Jharkhand -Chhattisgarh border. Surguja, Raigarh, Janjgir-Champa and Korba are Naxal-infested constituencies. The main contest was between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. There were a total of 123 candidates in the fray in seven Lok Sabha seats Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Janjgir-Champa (SC), Surguja (ST) and Raigarh (ST) - that went to polls in the third phase. The campaigning for the seven seats ended at 5 pm on Sunday. Chhattisgarh Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Voting Ends, Bastar Records 66% Polling.

The general elections in Chhattisgarh took place in three phases. In the first phase Naxal-hit constituency, Bastar went for polls. The final voter turnout in Bastar was 66 per cent, Election Commission officials confirmed. While, the second phase of Lok Sabha elections took place on April 18 in three constituencies - Kanker, Mahamasund and Rajanandgaon. The counting of votes will take place on May 23 and the same day results will be declared. Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha Constituency in Chhattisgarh: Candidates, Current MP, Polling Date And Election Results 2019.

In 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP had won 10 in 2014 while the Congress had won one. It will be interesting to see the result in Chhattisgarh as the General Elections come just months after the Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections. The Congress had decimated the BJP government in the state in the Assembly polls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2019 07:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).