Maha Political Dynamics, BJP's South Push In Focus As Curtains Go Up On Phase 2 In 88 Seats Today
Lok Sabha elections: Congress's Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and BJP's Hema Malini and Rajeev Chandrasekhar are among the key candidates in fray for the second phase of polling.
New Delhi: As 88 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and 1 Union Territory head to the polls on Friday, all eyes are on a slew of senior BJP and Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor from the Congress, as well as Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Kailash Choudhary, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who are contesting in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested battle, particularly in BJP strongholds.
With the first phase polls already done and dusted in 102 seats on April 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has intensified his attack on the Congress, alleging its intentions to extend nationwide reservation to Muslims within the quotas designated for Other Backward Classes.
Kerala, much like Tamil Nadu in the first phase, presents a crucial test for the BJP's ambitious expansion plans. Meanwhile, Maharashtra and, to a lesser extent, Karnataka are being watched keenly due to the emergence of new political dynamics since 2019.
Former BJP ally Uddhav Thackeray now leads the I.N.D.I.A bloc in Maharashtra, while the Shiv Sena, once under his leadership, is now allied with the BJP under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Additionally, the Nationalist Congress Party, a significant regional player, has split, with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's faction aligning with the BJP.
In Karnataka, where the Congress is currently in power, its former ally JD(S) has switched camps to join the BJP. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance holds sway in 27 of the state's 28 seats, with the I.N.D.I.A bloc hoping to make inroads with its welfare initiatives.
In Kerala, where the BJP has never secured a seat, the party is banking on candidates like actor Suresh Gopi, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and Anil Antony, son of veteran Congress leader A K Antony, to make electoral gains. Chandrasekhar has been pitted against three-time Congress MP Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram, while Rahul Gandhi seeks re-election from Wayanad, his current Lok Sabha constituency.
Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2: Details
| State/ UT | Constituencies |
| Assam | Kaliabor, Karimganj, Mangaldoi, Nawgong, and Silchar |
| Bihar | Banka, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Kishanganj, and Purnia |
| Chhattisgarh | Kanker, Mahasamund, and Rajnandgaon |
| Karnataka | Bangalore Central, Bangalore North, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore South, Chamarajanagar, Chikballapur, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Kolar, Mandya, Mysore, Tumkur, and Udupi-Chikmagalur |
| Kerala | Alappuzha, Alathur, Attingal, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Mavelikkara, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Ponnani, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Vadakara, and Wayanad |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu |
| Madhya Pradesh | Akola, Amravati (SC), Buldhana, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Wardha, and Yavatmal-Washim |
| Maharashtra | Akola, Amravati, Bhagalpur, Buldhana, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Yavatmal-Washim |
| Manipur | Outer Manipur (13 assembly segments) |
| Rajasthan | Ajmer, Banswara, Barmer, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Jalore, Jhalawar-Baran, Jodhpur, Kota, Pali, Rajsamand, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Udaipur |
| Tripura | Tripura East |
| Uttar Pradesh | Aligarh, Amroha, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Mathura, Meerut |
| West Bengal | Darjeeling, Raiganj, Balurghat |
Lok Sabha Polls Phase-2: Key Constituencies
The Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 2 polls will see crucial battles among heavyweight candidates. Among the key candidates in the fray are:
| Congress Candidate | Constituency |
| Rahul Gandhi | Wayanad |
| Shashi Tharoor | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Pradyut Bordoloi | Nowgong |
| Bhupesh Baghel | Rajnandangaon |
| DK Suresh | Bangalore Rural |
| M Lakshman | Mysore |
| K Muraleedharan | Thrissur |
| Vaibhav Gehlot | Jalore |
| Sowmya Reddy | Bangalore South |
| Vasantrao Chavan | Nanded |
| BJP Candidate | Constituency |
| Hema Malini | Mathura |
| Arun Govil | Meerut |
| Atul Garg | Ghaziabad |
| Parimal Suklabaidya | Silchar |
| Suresh Bora | Nowgong |
| Shobha Karandlaje | Bangalore North |
| PC Mohan | Bangalore Central |
| Tejasvi Surya | Bangalore South |
| Yaduveer Wadiyar | Mysore |
| K Surendran | Wayanad |
| Rajeev Chandrasekhar | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Anil Antony | Pathanamthitta |
| Raju Bista | Darjeeling |
| Sukanta Majumdar | Balurghat |
| Gajendra Singh Shekhawat | Jodhpur |
| Om Birla | Kota |
| Navneet Rana | Amravati |
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