Lok Sabha Elections Phase 3 To Witness Polling In 92 Seats In 12 States & UTs, All About High-Stake Contests

LS Elections, Phase 3: 11 states and Union Territories will see voting in 92 constituencies. The BJP, which holds a majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, faces a tough challenge from the Congress.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Voting is set to take place in 92 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday, marking the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls. The stakes are notably high for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, in the last election. Over 1,300 candidates, including approximately 120 women, are contesting in this phase.

Among the prominent contenders are Union ministers Amit Shah, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Mansukh Mandaviya, Parshottam Rupala, Pralhad Joshi, and SP Singh Baghel. Notably, with the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat will head to the polls on May 7.

Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah are expected to cast their votes in Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Meanwhile, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh have returned to the electoral fray.

The third phase also features  AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal in Assam seeking re-election for the fourth successive term from Dhubri. 

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Gujarat

Voting for 25 out of 26 Lok Sabha seats and bypolls to five assembly seats in Gujarat is set to take place on Tuesday, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aiming to replicate its success of 2014 and 2019 in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah, slated to arrive in the state tonight, will cast their votes at booths in Ahmedabad city falling under Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, news agency PTI reported. Modi will exercise his franchise at a booth in Nishan Public School in Ranip locality, while Shah will vote at Naranpura sub-zonal office in the city.

According to poll officials, a total of 4.97 crore individuals, including 2.56 crore males, 2.41 crore females, and 1,534 from the third gender, are eligible to vote in 50,788 polling booths across the state. These booths comprise 17,275 in urban areas and 33,513 in rural areas, as per data from the Election Commission (EC).

The EC has deployed 50,960 ballot units (BU), 49,140 control units (CUs), and 49,140 VVPATs (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) for the Lok Sabha polls and assembly bypolls in Gujarat. Additionally, 25 percent of BUs and CUs, and 35 percent of VVPATs have been kept on standby, the EC noted.

Speaking about the preparations, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kuldeep Arya stated, "Keeping in view the possibility of a heat wave on polling day, arrangements have been made to provide sufficient shade at all polling stations. Medical kits, essential medicines, and ORS facilities will be available."

Voter assistance booths have been established at all polling stations, he confirmed.

Among the 25 seats up for grabs on May 7, Ahmedabad (East) has the highest number of candidates at 18, necessitating the use of two ballot units (BUs) across its 1,820 polling stations. The constituency with the lowest number of candidates, at three, is Bardoli. Navsari boasts the highest number of voters at 22 lakh, followed by Gandhinagar and Rajkot, while Bharuch has the lowest, according to EC data.

The BJP has already secured a victory with Mukesh Dalal winning from Surat unopposed, after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in proposers' signatures and other candidates withdrew.

Prominent candidates in the fray include Union Home Minister Shah from Gandhinagar, as well as his cabinet colleagues Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala from Porbandar and Rajkot, respectively.

During the campaign, the BJP faced criticism from the Kshatriya community over a remark made by Rupala in Rajkot, claiming several rulers from the community had relations with British and other foreign invaders. Rupala is up against former Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, who had defeated him in the 2002 assembly polls.

The Congress, in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, aims to prevent the division of opposition votes to stop the BJP from repeating its sweeping performance of 2014 and 2019.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, 11 constituencies out of the total 48 are set for polling on Tuesday. A captivating contest is unfolding in Baramati, where Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule faces off against Sunetra Pawar, the wife of the veteran leader’s estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, marking a familial and political showdown.

Polling for these 11 constituencies spanning western Maharashtra, Konkan, and Marathwada regions will commence at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm across more than 23,000 polling centres, announced an election official on Monday.

With 258 candidates vying for victory, the electoral landscape is rife with competition. In Baramati, the home turf of the influential Pawar family, Supriya Sule locks horns with her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, promising a gripping contest.

Royal scions Shahu Chhatrapati of Congress and BJP’s Udayanraje Bhosale also enter the fray in Kolhapur and Satara, respectively. Union Minister Narayan Rane of BJP stands as a prominent candidate in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg.

The eligible voter count stands at 2.09 crore, distributed across 23,036 polling centres. Among these, 1,07,64,741 are male voters, 1,02,26,946 are female, and 929 identify as the third gender, according to the official.

In Marathwada, Osmanabad witnesses a direct tussle between NCP led by Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT), while Latur (SC) sees a fierce battle between Congress and BJP.

Latur, with 19.77 lakh eligible voters, gears up with nearly 8,500 election personnel manning 2,125 booths. The constituency comprises six assembly segments, with a mix of political affiliations.

Similarly, Osmanabad braces for the contest with 31 nominees in the running. The primary face-off is between NCP’s Archana Patil and sitting MP Omprakash Rajenimbalkar of Shiv Sena-UBT.

Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, plays a pivotal role in national politics.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Madhya Pradesh

Voting is poised to take place on Tuesday across nine constituencies in Madhya Pradesh. Among the notable contenders are Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, former chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Digvijaya Singh. The electorate, comprising more than 1.77 crore voters, will determine the fate of 127 candidates vying for victory across Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Guna, Sagar, Vidisha, Bhopal, Rajgarh, and Betul constituencies, PTI reported.

Anupam Rajan, Chief Electoral Officer of Madhya Pradesh, assured of comprehensive arrangements for a smooth and fair electoral process. He stated, "All necessary measures have been taken and adequate security arrangements are made to conduct free and fair elections in these constituencies."

The voting, scheduled from 7 am to 6 pm, encompasses 20,456 polling stations, with 1,043 entirely managed by women. Rajan mentioned the rescheduling of polling in Betul due to the unfortunate demise of a candidate. 

He detailed the demographic composition of the electorate, noting 92.68 lakh men, 84.83 lakh women, and 491 third-gender members. Additionally, 1.66 lakh electors are people with disabilities, while 88,106 are above 85 years old, and 1,804 are centenarians. A notable feature is the inclusion of 36,778 service voters, comprising personnel from various security forces and the Army, as per PTI.

Security measures have been reinforced, with 5,744 booths categorized as critical, necessitating additional security arrangements and webcasting facilities. Rajan emphasized the monitoring of 80 per cent of the booths through webcasting, particularly focusing on the Gwalior-Chambal region.

The third phase includes key political figures, notably Scindia, Chouhan, and Singh. Jyotirditya Scindia, aiming to reclaim the Guna constituency lost in 2019, faces stiff competition from Congress candidate Yadvendra Singh Yadav. Meanwhile, Shivraj Chouhan contests from Vidisha, a bastion he represented five times in the past, while Digvijaya Singh seeks to regain the Rajgarh seat after more than three decades.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyes a comprehensive victory in Madhya Pradesh, which sends 29 members to Lok Sabha. However, the Congress retains hope, particularly in constituencies like Chhindwara, where Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath secured victory in 2019.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, the phase is crucial for the Mulayam Singh Yadav family, with Dimple Yadav aiming to retain the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat. Ten parliamentary constituencies of Uttar Pradesh are set to undergo polls in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday.  

Dimple Yadav aims to retain the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, following the demise of her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav. Meanwhile, Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, the national principal general secretary of the Samajwadi Party (SP), is vying to reclaim the Firozabad seat, which he previously won in 2014. Making his electoral debut is Aditya Yadav, son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, contesting from the Budaun Lok Sabha seat.

The electoral fate of prominent figures like Union Minister SP Singh Baghel, Uttar Pradesh's Tourism Minister Jayveer Singh, and Minister of State for Revenue Anoop Pradhan Balmiki hangs in the balance. Baghel, Jayveer Singh, and Balmiki are contesting from Agra (SC), Mainpuri, and Hathras (SC) Lok Sabha seats respectively.

Rajveer Singh, son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP stalwart Kalyan Singh, seeks a hat-trick from the Etah parliamentary constituency, following in the footsteps of his father's political legacy.

Bareilly presents an intriguing contest between BJP's Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar and SP's Praveen Singh Aron, as the nomination of BSP candidate Master Chhotey Lal Gangwar was rejected.

The BJP, in this phase, has introduced five new candidates: Chhatrapal Gangwar from Bareilly, Durvijay Singh Shakya from Budaun, Anoop Pradhan Balmiki from Hathras-SC, Vishwadeep Singh from Firozabad, and Jayveer Singh from Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.

While the BJP retained winning candidates from Etah, Agra (SC), Aonla, and Fatehpur Sikri, it also introduced Parameshwar Lal Saini from the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat.

The Congress has fielded Ramnath Singh Sikarwar from Fatehpur Sikri, while its ally, the Samajwadi Party, has nominated candidates in the remaining nine seats in this phase.

Sambhal, Hathras (SC), Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Budaun, Aonla, and Bareilly constituencies are scheduled for polling. Over 1.88 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes and determine the fate of 100 candidates in this crucial phase.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Chhattisgarh

The remaining seven Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh are set to undergo polling amidst stringent security measures and a number of candidates vying for victory. With 168 contenders in the fray, the spotlight will be on the battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party, who have historically dominated the state's political space.

Notably, in Raipur, the state's capital, the competition is anticipated to be intense, with the BJP's state minister Brijmohan Agrawal expected to be pitted against former MLA Vikas Upadhyay of the Congress.

Korba, another crucial constituency, is anticipated to witness a face-off between BJP's Saroj Pandey and Congress' Jyotsana Mahant. BJP's Vijay Baghel, nephew of former Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, is contesting from Durg. The Congress candidate for this seat is Rajendra Sahu.

Meanwhile, the deployment of extensive security personnel comprising 202 companies of Central forces and over 60,000 police and District Reserve Guard personnel underscores the gravity of the electoral process.

According to Reena Babasaheb Kangale, the state's Chief Electoral Officer, meticulous arrangements are in place to ensure smooth polling across Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Janjgir-Champa, Surguja, and Raigarh constituencies. Kangale revealed that a total of 168 candidates, including 26 women, are expected to contest for the favour of 1,39,01,285 eligible voters.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: Karnataka 

The stage is set for the second phase of elections in the 14 remaining Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka on Tuesday. In a head-to-head contest, the ruling Congress and BJP are poised to clash in the northern districts' parliamentary segments, with the JD(S) throwing its weight behind its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner, the BJP, abstaining from the fray.

The contest encompasses 14 Lok Sabha constituencies. The first phase of polling unfolded on April 26 across most of the southern and coastal districts. Now, attention turns to the northern belts, with 227 candidates, comprising 206 men and 21 women, vying for victory.

2.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise across 28,269 polling stations from 7 am to 6 pm. The constituencies in contention include Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere, and Shimoga.

According to Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena, stringent security measures have been instituted to ensure smooth polling on Tuesday. Over 1.45 lakh polling officials are deployed across the constituencies, complemented by 35,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Paramilitary forces, and armed police from other states, PTI reported.

Micro-observers, numbering 4,000, will oversee proceedings, while 17,000 polling stations will be under webcasting surveillance.

Among the prominent candidates in the fray are former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, Congress' Geetha Shivrajkumar, and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani.

High stakes are at play for several ministers with their progeny contesting in this phase, including Laxmi Hebbalkar, Eshwar Khandre, Satish Jarkiholi, Shivanand Patil, and S S Mallikarjun.

Lok Sabha Elections, Phase 3: High-Octane BJP And Congress Campaigning

Notably, in the third phase, the BJP repeated 35 candidates (49%) out of 71 who won in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Notably, in the third phase, the BJP repeated 35 candidates (49%) out of 71 candidates who won in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The Congress repeated 1 candidate (25%) out of 4 who successfully contested the previous General election.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the opposition parties have engaged in intense exchanges during this phase. Prime Minister Modi led the BJP's charge, challenging the Congress on reservations, while the Congress continued accusing the BJP of attempting to alter the Constitution and abolish reservations.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of the Congress focused on issues of social justice, unemployment, farmer distress, and alleged favoritism towards select businessmen. Meanwhile, the BJP targeted the Congress over wealth distribution and inheritance tax, accusing it of engaging in appeasement politics.

In Karnataka, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have attacked the BJP over allegations of sexual harassment against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna. BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, questioned the Congress government's delay in taking action against Revanna.

Following this phase, voting will be completed in 283 out of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, with subsequent phases scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting is slated for June 4.