Bhopal, April 29: Power tripped at the polling booth in Chhindwara where Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath arrived to cast his vote. The incident is likely to leave the ruling Congress government red-faced, as Nath voted under the flashlight of camera persons who had arrived to click him while casting his vote.

The Madhya Pradesh CM was among the early ones to cast his vote for the Lok Sabha polls in Chhindwara seat, where his son Nakul Nath is in the fray from the Congress. Updates on Madhya Pradesh Elections 2019 Phase Voting.

Nath along with his wife, son and daughter-in-law arrived at a polling booth in Shikrapur area at around 8 AM. Power supply tripped for some time when the chief minister and his family members were inside the polling booth, election micro-observer Narendra Singh Sisodia told reporters.

An eye witness said that Nath voted in the flashlight of cameras of media persons. When asked about the incident and power outage, Nath told reporters that he would look into the matter. Power supply was restored at the booth after nearly 25-30 minutes, an official said.

Power tripping has become a major poll issue in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier in the day, polling for the first phase in the state began in the six Lok Sabha seats of Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Chhindwara.

By-election to Chhindwara Assembly constituency, where the chief minister is in the fray, is also underway.

A poll official said Nath would not be able to exercise his democratic right in the Assembly bypoll as he is a registered voter from Sausar Assembly seat.

Nath, who is sitting MP from Chhindwara, needs to get elected as an MLA to validate his stay in office as chief minister.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2019 05:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).