Held under the shadow of the Kargil conflict and in the difficult monsoon months, the 13th Lok Sabha elections have gone off `reasonably well', Chief election commissioner M S Gill declared in New Delhi on Sunday. Expressing satisfaction at the conduct of the general elections, Gill said that despite the odds, the elections went off well. Notably, there were no poll-related deaths in Uttar Pradesh, which was `remarkable', and by-and-large peaceful polling was conducted elsewhere, he said. Referring to the Kargil conflict, Gill said the elections this time were held in the backdrop of the ``enhanced difficulty of less para military forces from the Centre'' because of the forces' pre-occupation in kashmir.

BJP alleges booth capturing in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh

BJP on Sunday alleged that 560 polling booths were captured in the final phase of Lok Sabha elections in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, out of which 530 were in Bihar alone. "We have lodged a writtencomplaint with the Election Commission especially mentioning Madhepura in Bihar where about 40 booths were captured and Janata Dal (U) president Sharad Yadav was detained by police for sometime," BJP general secretary Narendra Modi told reporters in New Delhi. He alleged that despite the party urging the Election Commission to ensure that none of the state ministers was present at madhepura, no action was taken.

Kalyan hopeful of completing full term

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh on Sunday asserted that his government would complete its term. Singh, who had gone to cast his vote in Lucknow Montessory College at Sarojini Naidu road in Lucknow told press persons later that neither the state Assembly would be dissolved nor would the state face a mid-term Assembly polls. In his recent tours, the support of the people to his government was evident, he said. He said the new government at the Centre would not affect the developmental priorities of the state. ``Development is not a subjectlimited in a particular time frame, it is a continuous process and due to right direction and planned planning'', he said.

Nayanar accuses Cong, BJP of instigating violence

Kerala chief minister E K Nayanar on Sunday charged the Congress and BJP with attempting a revolt against an elected government by instigating violence. In a statement in the state capital, he alleged that the Congress leaders A K antony and K Karunakaran and BJP leader C K Padmanabhan had threatened to launch violent agitations.