Lok Sabha Election Enters Penultimate Phase;Â Delhi in the Spotlight
The sixth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election is underway, with 58 constituencies across six states and two union territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, going to the polls today. The stakes are particularly high in Delhi, where the BJP faces a formidable challenge from the INDIA bloc, comprised of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, aiming to prevent the BJP from a third consecutive clean sweep.
Anantnag-Rajouri PC makes history, as it records its highest  turnout in last 35 years, at 51.35 % in General Elections 2024
With this, all three PCs in Kashmir valley have now recorded highest  voter turnouts now
Details : https://t.co/ZIDdJbjJkS pic.twitter.com/BVHorco3Lm
— Spokesperson ECI (@SpokespersonECI) May 25, 2024
In Delhi, the AAP is contesting four seats: New Delhi, East Delhi, South Delhi, and West Delhi. The Congress is vying for three: Chandni Chowk, North-East Delhi, and North-West Delhi. The BJP, which secured all seven seats in both the 2014 and 2019 elections, is aiming to repeat its success.
A notable contest is in the New Delhi constituency, where the BJP’s Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of the late Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, is running against AAP’s Somnath Bharti. This seat was previously held by BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi. In North-East Delhi, BJP’s Manoj Tiwari seeks a third term, facing off against Congress’s Kanhaiya Kumar, a prominent youth leader from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Got Inked! Hon'ble Chief Justice of India Dr. Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud along with his family cast their vote in New Delhi. #ChunavKaParv#DeshKaGarv#IVote4Sure#YouAreTheOne#GeneralElections2024#IAmElectionAmbassador@ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/EmenTs5ZdU
— CEO, Delhi Office (@CeodelhiOffice) May 25, 2024
High-Stakes Battles Across India
Beyond Delhi, significant electoral battles are unfolding in other regions. In West Bengal, eight constituencies are voting today, including Tamluk and Kanthi, strongholds of Suvendhu Adhikari, a former ally turned rival of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The BJP, which won five of these seats in the last election, is fielding candidates such as former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Ganguly in Tamluk, who faces Trinamool Congress’s Debangshu Bhattacharya. In Kanthi, BJP’s Soumendu Adhikari, Suvendhu’s brother, is up against Trinamool’s Uttam Barik.
Bihar also has eight seats in play. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) dominated here in 2019, winning 39 out of 40 seats. The BJP secured four of the seats voting today, with the Janata Dal (United) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar winning three, and the Lok Janshakti Party taking one. Despite Nitish Kumar’s recent alignment with the INDIA bloc, the BJP remains a strong contender, supported by Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party.
In Uttar Pradesh, 14 seats are in contention. This state, a critical battleground with 80 Lok Sabha seats, has been a BJP stronghold since the 2017 Assembly elections. The BJP won 62 seats in the 2019 general elections, including two by its ally Apna Dal (S). The Samajwadi Party, part of the INDIA bloc, and the Bahujan Samaj Party, which is not part of the bloc, also hold key positions in this round. Significant constituencies include Prayagraj and Azamgarh, the latter of which shifted from SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav to BJP’s candidate in the 2022 by-poll.
Key Contests in Odisha and Haryana
Odisha’s six seats also feature crucial battles. In Sambalpur, Biju Janata Dal’s Pranab Prakash Das faces BJP heavyweight and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, considered a potential chief ministerial candidate. In Puri, BJP’s Sambit Patra aims to win against BJD’s Pinaki Mishra, who defeated him narrowly in 2019. Bhubaneswar sees a three-way contest with BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi, BJD’s Manmath Routray, and Congress’s Yasir Nawaz.
All ten constituencies in Haryana are voting today. The BJP, which won all seats in 2019, aims to replicate its success. Former Chief Minister ML Khattar is contesting the Karnal seat against Congress’s Divyanshu Budhiraja. In Kurukshetra, BJP’s Naveen Jindal is up against AAP’s Sushil Gupta and INLD’s Abhay Singh Chautala. Gurgaon features Congress’s former actor Raj Babbar.
Looking Ahead to the Final Phase
The seventh and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election will take place on June 1, with the spotlight on Varanasi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting. The election results are set to be announced on June 4.
As the nation awaits the final outcomes, today’s voting in Delhi and other key regions marks a critical juncture in the 2024 general election, potentially shaping the political landscape for years to come.
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