New Delhi, India: Voting is currently underway in the second phase of the Indian Lok Sabha polls, spanning 89 seats across 13 states. This phase sees the participation of several prominent candidates, including Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, and Hema Malini, making it a high-stakes round in the electoral process.
Key battlegrounds in this phase include all 20 seats in Kerala and 14 out of 28 seats in Karnataka. Additionally, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, and five each in Assam and Bihar are up for grabs. Furthermore, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, along with one seat each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir, are currently undergoing polling.
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This phase of voting, spanning 88 constituencies across various states and Union Territories, occurs amidst intense debates between the Congress and the BJP over manifesto promises and inheritance tax. Notable constituencies in focus include all seats in Kerala, significant portions of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, among others.
Earlier plans included 89 constituencies in this phase, but polling in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, was rescheduled following the unfortunate demise of a candidate from Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party. Betul will now cast its votes in the third phase scheduled for May 7.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) clinched victory in 65 of these seats, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) securing 53 seats and its allies claiming 12. Conversely, the INDIA bloc won 23 out of the 89 seats in the previous general election.
With a total of 1,210 candidates in contention in this phase, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leads with 74 candidates, followed closely by the BJP with 69 and the Congress with 68.
All eyes are on Wayanad in Kerala, where Rahul Gandhi seeks reelection amidst stiff competition. Notable contenders include Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar and Congress’s Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram, as well as actors Hema Malini and Arun Govil from the iconic 1980s serial Ramayan.
For both the BJP and the Opposition, Karnataka and Kerala emerge as pivotal battlegrounds. While Karnataka represents the BJP’s stronghold in the south, Kerala presents an opportunity for the party to expand its presence, notwithstanding historical trends.
Amidst a fiercely contested electoral landscape, both parties aim to strengthen their positions, with the BJP eyeing expansion in the south and east regions. The Congress, meanwhile, anticipates an improved performance compared to the 2019 elections.
The election unfolds amidst a heated exchange between the Congress and the BJP, fueled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks and subsequent rebuttals. With the next phase scheduled for May 7 and counting of votes slated for June 4, the political saga in India continues to unfold.
