Campaigning for 102 seats in first phase of Lok Sabha elections ends

BJP takes aim at Indian bloc over corruption (File)

New Delhi:

Campaigning for 102 Lok Sabha seats in 21 states and union territories ended on Wednesday evening with the first phase of elections set to take place on April 19, with top leaders from the BJP-led New Democratic Alliance and the opposition India Bloc Go all out to win over voters.

Prime Minister Modi has taken the lead in the charge. In the past few days, he has been touring various constituencies, giving rally speeches and road shows, claiming that in 2014 he will go with hope, in 2019 he will go without trust, and in 2024 he will go with guarantees. “Modi has given assurances across the country and I promise to fulfill all these assurances”.

Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and several cabinet colleagues, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Haq and Rahul Gandhi and other parties also fielded their candidates People canvassing for votes.

The BJP has launched a blistering attack on the Indian bloc over corruption, dynastic politics and insults to the Constitution and Hinduism.

Opposition leaders attacked the government over electoral bonds, abuse of institutions, inflation and unemployment.

The BJP has prioritized development and welfare in its manifesto while shying away from populist measures and contentious issues like the NRC.

Titled “Modiji Pledge”, the manifesto largely builds on the government’s existing welfare schemes for different sections of society while reaffirming the BJP’s commitment to introduce one nation, one elections and a uniform civil code, two issues that have Its 2019 manifesto mentions the manifesto as well.

In the 45-page manifesto titled “Nyay Patra”, Congress focused on five “pillars of justice” and 25 guarantees under them.

Right to apprenticeships, legal guarantee for MSP, passing constitutional amendment to increase the 50% cap on reservation for SC, ST and OBC, nationwide caste census and scrapping of Agnipath scheme were among the promises made by the party in 2017. declaration.

Prime Minister Modi, however, lambasted the Congress manifesto, saying it bore the stamp of the Muslim League and “smelled of destroying India on every page”.

Eight Union Ministers – Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju, Sarbanada Sonowal, Sanjeev Baliyan, Jitendra Singh, Bhupendra Yadav, Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan, two former Chief Ministers – Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura) and Nabam Tuki ( Arunachal Pradesh) and former Chief Minister Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan are among them.

In 2019, the UPA won 45 of these 102 seats and the NDA won 41. As part of the delimitation exercise, six of the seats have been re-demarcated.

Polls will be held in Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1) , Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1) all seats. 1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).

In addition, there are 12 seats in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, 4 in Bihar, 3 in West Bengal, and 6 seats in Mandarin. 2 seats from Nippur, 1 seat each from Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh.

The authorities in these constituencies have been instructed to ensure that no outsiders remain in these areas within 48 hours before polling. Any form of campaigning, public gatherings, political party press conferences, interviews and panel discussions in electronic or print media are strictly prohibited.

In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin on the last day of the campaign described the polls as a “second freedom movement” and reiterated that the purpose of elections is to decide “whose regime cannot continue” and not Who should seize power. He also claimed that Modi has ruined the country with his “selfish politics”.

K Annamalai, president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu party, also held a high-pressure campaign.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav addressed rallies in Saharanpur and Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday Speech.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Modi assured the people of holding assembly elections and restoring statehood.

Home Minister Shah reiterated at the rally that the assembly elections will be held as per the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court.

Maoist-affected Bastar in Chhattisgarh state is set to go to polls in the first phase, an exercise that will take place in the shadow of a major counter-insurgency operation in Kanker district on Tuesday that involved 29 people, including senior cadres Maoists were shot dead by security forces.

The second phase of voting will be held on April 26 for 89 seats in 13 states and union territories.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)