Today marks the beginning of voting in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, encompassing 88 seats across 13 states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon citizens, particularly the youth and women, to actively participate and set record turnout numbers.
Among the notable personalities who have cast their votes are BJP stalwart Vasundhara Raje, author Sudha Murty, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, actor Prakash Raj, cricket legend Rahul Dravid, and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The second phase witnesses pivotal battles, notably in Kerala, where high-profile candidates such as Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray. Additionally, BJP’s Hema Malini seeks re-election from Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura constituency.
Voting is currently underway across all 20 constituencies in Kerala, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan among the early voters. In Rajasthan’s Jalore, Congress candidate Vaibhav Gehlot expresses confidence in his party’s prospects.
Meanwhile, a confrontation erupts between the BJP and Trinamool Congress in West Bengal over alleged electoral disturbances. In the spotlight are Rahul Gandhi’s re-election bid in Kerala’s Wayanad and Shashi Tharoor’s contest in Thiruvananthapuram.
Uttar Pradesh witnesses Hema Malini’s bid for a third term from Mathura, while BJP’s Arun Govil, renowned for his portrayal of Bhagwan Ram in Ramayan, makes his electoral debut in Meerut.
BJP’s Ghaziabad candidate Atul Garg urges all voters to exercise their democratic right diligently. It’s noteworthy that all educational institutions and industries in Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad remain closed today due to polling.
A total of 1,210 candidates are contesting in this phase, with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) fielding the most candidates at 74, followed by the BJP at 69 and the Congress at 68.
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