Lok Sabha elections: During the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, 88 seats across 13 states are on the line. Focus is particularly on key constituencies like Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, along with Mathura and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
In short
- With 88 seats spread over 13 states, the second round of Lok Sabha elections has begun.
- Notable contenders include Hema Malini, Rahul Gandhi, and Shashi Tharoor.
- The announcement of the results is scheduled for June 4th.
Voting has begun in the second round of the Lok Sabha elections, which will include 88 seats in 13 states. Voting in “record numbers” is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to do, especially the young and female voters.
Several people have voted, including actor Prakash Raj, Team India coach Rahul Dravid, author and philanthropist Sudha Murty and her husband, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Also Read: YSRCP Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy
In Phase 2, Kerala is witnessing a major showdown with several prominent candidates in the mix. Notable contenders include Rahul Gandhi contesting from Wayanad, Shashi Tharoor facing off against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram, and BJP leader Hema Malini vying for victory from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
Phase 2 Lok Sabha Elections: Latest Updates
- The second phase of Lok Sabha polls is presently in progress, with voting taking place in 13 seats out of 88. Images displayed voters waiting in line outside polling places. In Kerala, the second phase of voting is now taking place in all 20 constituencies.
- Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of Kerala, and his family went to Kannur to cast their votes. Along with others in line, VD Satheesan, the Kerala Leader of Opposition and a Congress leader, too cast his ballot. Later, Satheesan expressed confidence in the INDIA bloc’s ability to win all 20 seats in the southern state in an interview with news agency ANI.
- Vaibhav Gehlot, the Congress candidate for Jalore in Rajasthan, stated that there is “enthusiasm” for his party among the populace. Vaibhav Gehlot, the son of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, stated, “I am 100% confident that people are bringing a change in Jalore this time.” In Jalore, Vaibhav Gehlot is running against Lumbaram Chaudhary of the BJP.
- The ruling party stated that central forces are being used to “undermine the democratic process” in Bengal, which sparked a verbal spat between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress. Citing various sources, Trinamool claimed that central forces had “disturbed voters in Balurghat’s Harirampur and prevented women from voting in Raiganj’s Goalpokhar”.
- Balurghat and Raiganj, two prominent Darjeeling seats, are holding elections in West Bengal. Sukanta Majumdar, the state president of the BJP, is running for reelection from the Balurghat seat; the results of the votes will determine his fate.
- All eyes are on Wayanad, Kerala, where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is seeking a second term. He is fighting against Annie Raja from the CPI and K Surendran from the BJP in Kerala. Gandhi won the seat by over seven lakh votes in the 2019 elections, despite losing his family stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
- Senior Congressman Shashi Tharoor and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar are engaged in another high-stakes match in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. For a fourth time, Tharoor will be vying for the seat.
- Hema Malini will try to win a hat-trick in Uttar Pradesh from Mathura, while Arun Govil, a BJP candidate who is well-known for playing Lord Ram in the Ramayan television series, will be making his political debut in Meerut.
- In addition, polling is taking place in Ghaziabad, Noida, and Greater Noida. Due to the elections, all schools, universities, companies, and industries in these areas are closed today. After casting his ballot, BJP candidate for Ghaziabad Atul Garg urged all voters to use their democratic right to appoint a competent government.
- During this stage, 1,210 candidates are competing. In this phase, the BSP has fielded the most candidates—74—ahead of the BJP (69) and the Congress (68).