As election season enters its ninth week since the model code of conduct (MCC) came into force, the crucial fourth phase polling in another 96 seats across 10 states and Union territories, where 1,717 candidates are trying their luck. Over 19 lakh polling officials will serve over 17.7 crore voters across 1.92 lakh polling stations.
The fate of 284 of India’s 543 Lok Sabha constituencies have already been decided in three phases of polling on 19 and 26 April and 7 May.Of these 96 seats, the BJP won 41 in the 2019 general elections. Campaigning for the fourth phase ended on Saturday.
The states up for polling tomorrow are Andhra Pradesh (25 seats), Bihar (5), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Jharkhand (4), Madhya Pradesh (8), Maharashtra (11), Odisha (4), Telangana (17), Uttar Pradesh (13), and West Bengal (8). The Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh will be held simultaneously.
SP chief and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from Kannauj, Leader of Opposition in Lok sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, sitting Congress MP from his stronghold Baharampur, Union minister Giriraj Singh from Bihar’s Begusarai, fiery TMC leader Mahua Moitra from Bengal’s Krishnnaaga, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi from Hyderabad and APCC chief YS Sharmila from Kadapa are some of the key candidates in this phase.
For this phase, Telangana had a maximum of 1,488 nominations from 17 Parliamentary constituencies, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 1,103 from 25 PCs. Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency in Telangana received a maximum of 177 nominations, followed by Nalgonda and Bhongir in the same state, with 114 each.
All 25 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 17 in Telangana will complete polling in a single phase. By the end of phase four, polling in 23 states and UTs would have been completed, with Jharkhand and Odisha being the two new additions to the list after three phases.