An estimated 11.13 crore people are expected to vote in the sixth phase of polling in India’s Lok Sabha elections covering 58 constituencies across six states and two union territories today.
The sixth phase will include all seven parliamentary seats in the national capital Delhi where the main fight will take place between BJP and Congress-Aam Aadmi Party alliance.
The states and union territories voting in the sixth phase are: Bihar (8 seats), Haryana (all 10 seats), Jammu and Kashmir (1 seat), Jharkhand (4 seats), Delhi (all 7 seats), Odisha (6 seats), Uttar Pradesh (14 seats) and West Bengal (8 seats).
Voting for the 543-member Lok Sabha is being held in seven phases until June 1, with polling for five phases already been completed. The vote counting is scheduled for June 4. The seventh and final round of polling will be held on June1 across 57 constituencies, including Kolkata.
After the completion of the sixth phase, polling will be completed in 486 constituencies.
The prominent candidates in the sixth phase are Dharmendra Pradhan (BJP) from Sambalpur (Odisha), Manoj Tiwari (BJP) and Kanhaiya Kumar (Congress) from North East Delhi, Maneka Gandhi (BJP) from Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) from Anantnag-Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir), Abhijit Gangopadhyay (BJP) from Tamluk (West Bengal) and BJP’s former chief minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar (Karnal).
Seeking a third successive term in office since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in his campaign focused on Hindutva, alleged corruption and caste politics by opposition bloc leaders. On the other hand, the opposition parties concentrated on unemployment, inflation and caste-based approach to development.
As the campaigning reached fever pitch, the Election Commission intervened on Wednesday directing BJP leaders to refrain from making speeches on religious and communal lines and cautioning Congress against potentially divisive statements regarding castes and the socioeconomic composition of the armed forces.
