Thursday, October 20 2005 17:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gaya: The stage is set for holding poll in four Naxalite-hit constituencies in Bihar's Gaya district amid heavy deployment of central para-military forces, official sources said.

Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Jha told sources that 65 companies of CPMF would do duty at all the 1005 polling stations in Gaya (town), Gaya (mufassil), Belaganj and Bodh Gaya constituencies.

Polling in these constituencies earlier scheduled for October 18 had been postponed for October 21 by the Election Commission to ensure better mobility and deployment of CPMF.

All the 278 booths in Gaya (town) and 267 in Belaganj will have 100 per cent deployment of Border Security Force, he said. Elsewhere too only BSF, ITBP and CRPF troops would be pressed into service.

Four Indian Air Force helicopters would maintain aerial surveillance in the four hypersensitive constituencies where naxalites have given a call for election boycott.

There are altogether 43 candidates in the fray in the four seats. While there are nine candidates each at Belaganj, Gaya (town) and Bodh Gaya, 16 are in fray at Gaya (mufassil).

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has fielded its candidates at Belaganj and Bodh Gaya leaving Gaya (town) and Gaya (mufassil) for the Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put up nominees at Gaya (town) and Bodh Gaya and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) at Gaya (mufassil). Candidates of the two National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies will, however, cross swords at Belaganj.

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) candidates are in fray at Gaya (mufassil), Bodh Gaya and Belaganj, while its ally Communist Party of India (CPI) will contest Gaya(town). RJD had won Belaganj and Bodh Gaya seats in the last elections while Gaya (town) was bagged by BJP and Gaya (mufassil) by an independent Avadhesh Singh who is contesting on Congress ticket this time.