Second part of polling begins in 88 constituencies

The second part of the 2024 Lok Sabha election started on Friday, with 88 constituencies throughout 12 states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir going to the polls.

Voting is underway in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight every in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, 5 every in Assam and Bihar, three every in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal and one every in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir.

Whereas the estimated voter turnout until 5 pm in Assam was 70.66%, it was 53.03% in Bihar and 72.13% in Chhattisgarh. Jammu and Kashmir recorded a voter turnout of 67.22% until 5 pm, based on knowledge launched by the Election Fee.

Voter turnout until 5 pm in different states was: Kerala 63.97%, Madhya Pradesh 54.83%, Maharashtra 53.51%, Manipur 76.06%, Rajasthan 59.19%, Tripura 77.53%, Uttar Pradesh 52.74% and West Bengal 71.84%.

As at 5 pm, Karnataka had recorded a voter turnout of 63.90%. The determine was 48.61% within the Bangalore Central constituency, 50.04% in Bangalore North, 61.78% in Bangalore Rural and 49.37% in Bangalore South.

Madhya Pradesh’s Betul constituency was additionally speculated to go to polls within the second part, however the voting was postponed to Might 7 after the demise of Bahujan Samaj Social gathering candidate on April 9, based on PTI.

Among the many distinguished candidates within the fray throughout the second part are the Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and Bhupesh Baghel, the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Om Birla and Tejasvi Surya, the Janata Dal (Secular)’s HD Kumaraswamy and the Communist Social gathering of India’s Annie Raja.

Because the polls went underway, BJP President JP Nadda in a video message accused the Congress of attempting to grab away the rights of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Different Backward Lessons. Nadda reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark from Sunday, alleging that the Congress would distribute residents’ property amongst “infiltrators” and “those that have extra youngsters” – a dog-whistle reference to Muslims.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, then again, urged voters to not be swayed by “diversionary ways” and solid their ballots to guard Indian democracy, reported PTI. In a publish on X, Kharge wrote: “Don’t forget that that is not an atypical election. It’s an election to guard democracy from the clutches of dictatorship.”

West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar accused the Trinamool Congress of sales space jamming – slowing the tempo of voting by making residents stand in queues for lengthy intervals of time – in a number of locations, however didn’t present the precise areas.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman solid her vote in Bengaluru on Friday. “This election is certainly on the grounds that individuals need secure, good management to take over,” she informed reporters, PTI reported. “It could possibly’t be on the grounds that I do not like any individual so I do not need that any individual. Political events should give good proposals.”

Congress chief KC Venugopal urged voters to return out and solid their vote, reported PTI.

“Voters have to return out and vote, this ought to be before everything precedence,” he stated. “This nation now wants a change, they’ve to return out and vote for a change. I’m very assured, I imagine in individuals of Alleppey [in Kerala’s Alappuzha], they [voters] will give most majority [to Congress].”

The Opposition chief stated that he’s assured that the state-level Congress-led United Democratic Entrance in Kerala will win 20 out of 20 seats.

The first part of the 2024 Lok Sabha election on April 19 noticed voting on 102 parliamentary constituencies throughout 17 states and 4 Union Territories. The Election Fee stated that an estimated 62.34% of the voters turned as much as vote on that day. The ultimate figures haven’t been launched but.