India is gearing up for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, set to take place across 13 states and union territories tomorrow. The campaign has been marked by intense campaigning and sharp exchanges between political parties. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the upcoming phase:Lok Sabha Polls Phase 2: Voting DetailsConstituencies: The second phase covers 88 Lok Sabha constituencies, including all 20 seats in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and others.Voting Schedule: Polling will begin at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm. The election is being held in seven phases till June 1, with vote counting on June 4.Lok Sabha Polls Phase 2: INDIA Bloc and Opposition Unity:AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSeveral opposition parties have formed the INDIA bloc to field common candidates against the BJP.Key Personalities:Rahul Gandhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is re-contesting from Wayanad, Kerala.Shashi Tharoor: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is seeking a fourth successive term from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.Hema Malini: Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini is contesting from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.Bhupesh Baghel: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.Lok Sabha Polls Phase 2: Previous Phase Recap:The first phase of voting was held on April 19 across 102 constituencies. The voter turnout was over 62 per cent.Lok Sabha Polls Phase 2: States and Seats in Phase 2:Assam: 5 seats – Karimganj, Silchar, Mangaldoi, Nawgong, KaliaborBihar: 5 seats – Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, BankaChhattisgarh: 3 seats – Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, KankerJammu and Kashmir: JammuKarnataka: 14 seats – Various constituenciesKerala: All 20 seatsMadhya Pradesh: 6 seats – Tikamgarh, Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa, Hoshangabad, BetulMaharashtra: 8 seats – Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, ParbhaniManipur: Outer ManipurRajasthan: 13 seats – Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota, Jhalawar-BaranTripura: Tripura EastUttar Pradesh: 8 seats – Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, BulandshahrWest Bengal: 3 seats – Darjeeling, Raiganj, BalurghatLok Sabha Polls Phase 2: Voter Eligibility
An estimated 16 crore voters, including 8.08 crore male, 7.8 crore female voters, and 5,929 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this phase.
Lok Sabha Polls Phase 2: Key Candidates in Phase 2
Kerala: Rahul Gandhi (Wayanad), Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram), Hema Malini (Mathura), Bhupesh Baghel (Rajnandgaon)Karnataka: HD Kumaraswamy (Mandya), Yaduveer Wadiyar (Mysuru), DK Suresh (Bengaluru Rural), Tejasvi Surya (Bengaluru South)Assam: Pradyut Bordoloi (Nagaon), Dilip Saikia (Darrang-Udalguri), Kripanath Mallah (Karimganj), Parimal Suklabaidya (Silchar)Bihar: Santosh Kushwaha (Purnia), Mohammed Jawed (Kishanganj), Ajay Kumar Mandal (Bhagalpur), Giridhari Yadav (Banka)Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel (Rajnandgaon), Tamradhwaj Sahu (Mahasamund), Bhojraj Nag (Kanker)Madhya Pradesh: Virendra Kumar Khatik (Tikamgarh), RB Prajapati (Khajuraho), Tarbar Singh Lodhi (Damoh)Maharashtra: Prataprao Chikhalikar Govindrao (Nanded), Ashtikar Patil Nagesh Bapurao (Hingoli), Sanjay alias Bandu Jadhav (Parbhani)The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections is poised to be a significant chapter in India’s democratic process, with key battles and prominent leaders vying for the mandate of the people.