Over 2.54 crore electors will vote in the first phase of the general election in Rajasthan’s 12 constituencies on Friday, where 114 contestants, including Union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal and Bhupendra Yadav, are in the fray.

Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur-rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa and Tonk-Sawaimadhopur are facing the ballot in the first phase.

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The BJP is contesting on all 12 seats, while the Congress has made alliance with CPI-M on Sikar seat, and BSP on all 12 seats. Besides, 24 other political parties’ candidates are among the contestants. Altogether 102 male and 12 females are also trying their poll fortune in the first phase.

Altogether 24,370 polling booths have been set up and 76,962 police personnels.

including home guards, RAC jawans have been deployed besides 175 companies of Central Police Force have taken positions for free and fair polls, and maintain law and order in the state, Chief Election Officer Praveen Gupta told reporters here today. The polling will begin 7 am and last till 6 pm.

Check Posts have been created on Rajasthan’s bordering states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab to contain intrusion of illegal movement of public or miscreants, Gupta said.

Yadav, the Union Minister and RS MP, who replaced the sitting MP Balak Nath, is in a one-to-one contest with the Congress’ sitting MLA Lalit Yadav who belongs to the Matsya region of Alwar district and open support of Yadav community, Congress’ traditional voter banks.

Union Law Minister Meghwal is in a direct caste based contest with his junior friend and former Congress Minister Govind Ram Meghwal from Bikaner parliamentary seat.

BJP’s prominent saint Sumedhanand Sarswati (sitting MP) is having a tough poll trail campaign in the Sikar constituency against INDIA block partner of CPI-M Amraram, a farmer leader having the open support of Congress and comrades from adjoining districts of Srigananagar and Haunumangar.

Another sitting BJP MP Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria is vying against Congress’ sitting MLA Harish Meena (former DGP) on Tonk-Sawai Madhopur LS seat.

BJP’s 3 new faces, Priyanka Bailan from Sriganganagar, Manju Sharma from Jaipur City, and Indudevi Jatav from Karauli-Dholpur are also in the poll battle. Congress’ woman candidate Sanjana Jatav will contest against BJP’s Ram Swaroop Koli on Bharatpur seat.

In the first phase of the poll campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held five public meetings and one road show to cover its candidates at a number of places that covered 12 constituencies. Similarly, Congress’ UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC General Secreaty Priyanka Gandhi, and Wyanad MP Rahul Gnadhi have also held public meetings and road shows for their candidates in the parts of the state.