As the democratic fervor engulfs the nation, the second phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections is underway, spanning across 13 states and union territories. With 88 constituencies up for grabs, the electoral landscape is alive with over 1,200 candidates vying for the people’s mandate, including four contenders from Outer Manipur.
The morning hours witnessed a modest turnout in India Election Phase 2, with 9.3% of eligible voters casting their ballots across the 13 states and UTs. Noteworthy spikes were observed in Chhattisgarh and Manipur, where voter enthusiasm soared past the 15% mark. However, Maharashtra trailed with a comparatively subdued turnout, recording just over 7% polling by 9 am. This figure marks a slight dip from the 2019 elections when over 10% polling was registered during the same timeframe for these 88 seats.
Tomorrow’s electoral agenda is equally packed, with 20 seats in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, and significant constituencies in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir all set to exercise their franchise.
The political battleground is rife with prominent personalities from various parties, including Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP’s Tejasvi Surya, stalwarts like Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor from the Congress, and regional heavyweights like Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
Reflecting on the electoral dynamics, the NDA clinched victory in 56 of the 89 seats during the 2019 elections, while the UPA secured 24. However, this phase witnesses a reshuffling due to the delimitation exercise, redrawing the contours of power and influence.
With the completion of the first phase last Friday, where 102 seats across 21 states and UTs went to the polls, boasting a respectable turnout of around 65.5%, the nation remains poised as the democratic process unfolds, shaping the future trajectory of governance and representation.
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