Political parties maintain 24/7 vigil near the vault under the scorching sun.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite scorching heat in the region, representatives of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress are camped outside the vault where the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are kept, keeping both parties on high alert as the weather and the political situation heats up.

Both parties have made extensive preparations to ensure their representatives can withstand repressive conditions. Polling for all 29 assembly constituencies in the state was held in four phases and ended on May 13. Results will be declared on June 4.

Arun Shrivastava, Bhopal’s Congress candidate, said his party workers are camping near the vault 24×7. They have no intention of leaving the spot even for a moment. “To combat the heat, we have installed three coolers near the vault to provide coolness to the alert party workers,” he added.

While no one from the BJP has been posted outside the Bhopal powerhouse and the party has not tasked anyone in this regard, BJP activists are on alert in other districts. Darshan Singh Chowdhury, the BJP candidate from Hoshangabad, is currently campaigning in Odisha.

Choudhury said party workers were keeping a watchful eye on the vault without rest. “Despite the scorching heat, our workers continue to sit near the vault every day and keep a watchful eye on everything. We have provided them everything to protect them from the heat,” Choudhury told the Free Press.

Sanjay Sharma, Indian National Congress candidate from Hoshangabad, explained his party’s strategic approach to dealing with the heat: “To deal with the heat, we have allotted eight-hour shifts to our representatives. After completing their duty, they will return to the hotels booked by us.”