An Analysis Of Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2 -The Undercurrent In Key ConstituenciesAs India enters the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections with 88 constituencies across 13 states going to the polling booths today, the southern state of Kerala is all set to vote for all 20 constituencies in this single phase. Notably, in the 2019 general elections, Congress-led UDF had swept all 19 seats.
In the first phase held on April 19, voters from 102 constituencies across 21 states used their franchises. The polling to elect the 543 Lok Sabha members to the parliament is scheduled to be held in seven phases, and the result of the same will be out on June 4, to decide India’s next government.
There are two main alliances – Congress-led INDIA bloc and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and the fight to form government at the centre is between these two alliances. In addition, there are many regional parties on the battlefield. Some among them contest independently, while some joined with one of the two aforementioned allies. While the NDA banks on the majority votes pushing the Hindutva politics, the INDIA bloc claims to protect the constitutional institutions and the country’s long-established secular fabric.
There are many key contestants in the second phase of the general elections slated tomorrow. The key figures include the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is vying for his second term from Kerala’s Wayanad constituency.
Other high-profile candidates from the state include the three-time Thiruvananthapuram MP, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and union minister Shashi Tharoor, BJP state chief K Surendran, and actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi.. As a state which has never elected a BJP member as parliamentarian, the BJP has stepped up attempts to voo the state’s voters. The party has this time fielded two union ministers, two actors and state BJP heavyweights in its attempt to open accounts in the saffron-free state.
Karnataka follows Kerala with 14 seats out of the 28 constituencies going to use their franchises tomorrow. There are also key contestants and constituencies from other states that are expected to vote tomorrow. Here is the seat-wise list from all the 13 states:
States And Constituencies In The Second Phase
- Kerala: All 20 of the state’s constituencies
- Karnataka: 14 out of the state’s 28 seats
- Rajasthan: 13 out of the state’s 25 seats
- Uttar Pradesh: Eight out of the state’s 80 seats
- Maharashtra: Eight out of the state’s 48 seats
- Madhya Pradesh: Six out of the state’s 29 seats
- Assam: Five out of the state’s 14 seats
- Bihar: Five out of the state’s 40 seats
- Chhattisgarh: Three out of the state’s 11 seats
- West Bengal: Three out of the state’s 42 seats
- Tripura: One out of the state’s two seats
- Jammu and Kashmir: One out of five seats
- Manipur: One out of two seats
Implications From Key Constituencies
Wayanad: An important constituency in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, Kerala’s Wayanad witnesses a triangular battle between the Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, CPM’s Annie Raja and BJP’s state chief K Surendran. During the 2019 general election, Rahul Gandhi won a landslide victory with a record majority of more than four lakh votes. As the Congress leader is vying for another term, he has full confidence in retaining the seat.
Thiruvananthapuram: Another hot constituency in the phase two polling is Kerala’s capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. The sitting three-time Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is seeking his fourth entry to the Parliament from the constituency. The BJP, which had secured in the second place pushing the Left behind in the last two general elections, is doing aggressive campaigns to capture the seat. The party has nominated Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar to take on Congress’s sitting MP. Notably, The LDF has also fielded one of the party’s heavyweight and former Thiruvananthapuram MP Pannyan Raveendran, making the battle a competitive triangular one.
Thrissur: This constituency has been one of BJP’s eyes-long-set seats to open its account in Kerala. The seat has seen a surge in the saffron party’s favour when it fielded the actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi in the 2019 general elections. Suresh Gopi managed to garner 28 percent votes for the saffron party which had never crossed 15 percent in its history. However, the BJP with an added vigour has nominated him again to capture the seat. Notably, anticipating the tough competition, the Congress has fielded K Muraleedharan, the party strongman and son of former Chief Minister K Karunakaran. The CPI, the second biggest player in the constituency has fielded Sunil Kumar to wrest back the seat from the Congress.
Mathura: Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura constituency is also one of the hotspots of political analysts as the BJP’s sitting MP and Bollywood actress Hema Malini seeks her third term from the seat. The constituency has seen a surge in the vote share of the BJP in the last two general elections. However, given the controversies surrounding her performance in the Parliament and development in the constituency, the Congress is banking on the anti-incumbency to wrest back the constituency. Congress has fielded Mukesh Dhangar.
Gautam Budh Nagar: One of the 80 Uttar Pradesh constituencies, Gautam Budh Nagar has been with the saffron party since 2014. Notably, the constituency is set for a triangular battle between BSP, INDIA bloc’s Samajwadi Party and the BJP. The BJP’s sitting MP Mahesh Sharma has faced several issues in his stint including the pending registries. The BSP, which had represented the seat in the 2009 and 2014 terms has fielded Rajendra Singh Solanki.