BJP stirs row with 'veiled threat'

OF BALLOT & BURQAS | While UP's voter turnout was pegged at a meagre 49% in bypolls, violence marred polling in Meerapur; Palakkad polls 70% while Punjab scores highest with whopping 79%

- Biswajeet Banerjee, Dheeraj Kumar, Rajesh Moudgil & Shankar Raj

Polling for nine assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh concluded on Wednesday with a voter turnout of 49.3%. While Meerapur recorded the highest turnout at 67.1%, urban areas like Ghaziabad lagged significantly with just 33.3%. The by-elections, considered critical for the state's political dynamics, were largely peaceful except for an incident of violence in Meerapur, where police used force to restore order.