For the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election 2019, polling begins on Monday in 72 parliamentary constituencies spread across nine states. In 2014, the BJP and its allies had swept 56 of these seats, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (six) and the Biju Janata Dal (six).
Where voting will take place?
Voting will take place in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and a part of the Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir.
In the first three phases, voting has been held in 302 Lok Sabha constituencies. 168 more seats will go to polls in the last three phases.
Key candidates:
In the fourth phase, about 12.79 core voters will decide the fate of 961 candidates, including Union ministers Subhash Bhamre, Giriraj Singh, S S Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo of the BJP and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress.
SP leader Dimple Yadav’s fate will also be sealed today. Voters will also decide the fate of Sakshi Maharaj of the BJP.
Security beefed up in J-K's Kulgam
Tight security arrangements are in place in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, part of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, which is going to the polls on Monday in the second leg of the three-phased poll schedule for the Lok Sabha seat.
The Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons.
The general election is currently being held in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes will be conducted on 23 May, and on the same day the results will be declared.
Legislative Assembly elections in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will be held simultaneously with the general election.
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(With inputs from agencies)
