India (Commonwealth Union)_ In the second phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections, voting commenced for 88 constituencies across 13 states and union territories. A total of over 1,200 candidates, including four contenders from Outer Manipur, vied for victory in this electoral round. Accordingly, polling took place for all 20 seats in Kerala; 14 out of the 28 seats in Karnataka; 13 seats in Rajasthan; as well as 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, 7 seats in Madhya Pradesh; 5 in Assam and Bihar respectively; 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal; and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir also underwent polling.
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Among the notable figures who competed in this phase were Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP‘s Tejasvi Surya, and iconic personalities such as Hema Malini and Arun Govil, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Prominent Congress leaders include Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, contesting in Thiruvananthapuram, and KC Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, and Vaibhav Gehlot, the son of Ashok Gehlot. Noteworthy participants also include DK Suresh, the brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
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In the previous Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the NDA secured victory in 56 of the 89 seats while the UPA claimed 24. Notably, six of these seats have undergone redrawn boundaries as part of the delimitation process. The electoral process spans seven phases, with the initial phase held last Friday covering 102 seats across 21 states and union territories, witnessing a voter turnout of approximately 65.5%. Accordingly, the phase 2 polls witnessed a voter turnout of 63.5% with Maharashtra witnessing 58.99%; Manipur: 77.32%; Rajasthan: 64.07%; Tripura: 79.47%; Uttar Pradesh: 54.85%; West Bengal: 71.84%; Jammu and Kashmir: 72.32%; Karnataka: 69.23%; Kerala: 66.29%; Madhya Pradesh: 58.35%; Assam: 72.63%; Bihar: 58.58%; Chhattisgarh: 73.94%.
Amidst a contentious atmosphere marked by disputes between the Congress and the BJP concerning manifestos and inheritance tax, voting transpired across 88 constituencies in 13 states and union territories. Notably, polling has concluded for Kerala, Rajasthan, and Tripura. Initially slated to cover 89 constituencies, this phase saw a change in schedule with the postponement of polling in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, following the unfortunate demise of a candidate from Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party. Betul is now scheduled to vote in the third phase on May 7.
Furthermore, both the BJP and the opposition attach significance to Karnataka and Kerala in this phase. While the BJP emerged victorious in 25 of Karnataka’s 28 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, the Congress secured a win in the state’s most recent assembly elections. The BJP aims to capitalize on these elections amid concerns regarding delimitation and the potential disadvantages faced by southern states. In Kerala, the BJP endeavors to penetrate the state’s bipolar political landscape. The party aspires to secure representation, fielding candidates such as Union ministers Rajiv Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan. Notably, in Wayanad, a stronghold of the Congress for over two decades, the BJP nominated its state unit president K Surendran to contest against Rahul Gandhi. Kerala holds substantial importance for the opposition, with both the Left and the Congress vying for supremacy. Victory by either party would bolster the opposition bloc in India.
Notably, Kerala remains one of the few states yet to elect a BJP member to parliament. With northern, western, and northeastern India largely saturated, the BJP’s focus shifts to expanding its presence in the south and east as it aims for 370 seats. In 2019, the party secured 303 seats, primarily from the Hindi heartland and various strongholds, including Gujarat and the northeast. The Congress expressed optimism about its electoral prospects, anticipating an improved performance compared to 2019. Following the first phase of elections, claims of resurgence have intensified, particularly in Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Tejashwi Yadav predicted victory for the opposition in all five seats in Bihar.
The election unfolded amidst a heated exchange between the Congress and the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks indicating that a Congress-led government would redistribute personal wealth among “infiltrators” have sparked controversy. The Congress has countered, questioning the necessity for such concerns during its 55 years in power and accusing the BJP of evading substantive issues. The forthcoming phase of elections is scheduled for May 7, with vote counting slated for June 4, three days subsequent to the conclusion of the seventh and final phase of elections on June 1.
