Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 2: Highlights of Voter Turnout and Key Contestants
Credit: Hintustan Times News
26.04.2024: The second phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections in India witnessed an active participation, with over 60% voter turnout recorded in 13 states and union territories by 5 pm. Let’s delve into the key updates and notable candidates from this crucial phase:
- **Voter Turnout:** Across the 13 states and UTs, a substantial 60.7% voter turnout was observed by 5 pm. States like Manipur, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura saw particularly high turnouts, surpassing the 70% mark. On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra recorded comparatively lower turnouts at 52.6%, 53%, and 53.5% respectively.
- **Constituencies:** A total of 88 constituencies were up for voting in this phase, spread across various regions. Notable areas included all 20 seats in Kerala, 14 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, and significant seats in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir.
- **Key Contestants:** The second phase featured prominent candidates from different parties. Some of the notable figures included Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP’s Tejasvi Surya, veteran actors Hema Malini and Arun Govil, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s brother DK Suresh, and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
- **Past Results:** In the 2019 elections, the NDA secured victory in 56 out of the 89 seats contested in this phase, while the UPA won 24 seats. Notably, six seats have been redrawn due to the delimitation exercise, adding a layer of intrigue to the current electoral dynamics.
- **Overall Progress:** With this phase marking the midpoint of the seven-stage electoral process, the earlier phase witnessed a decent turnout of around 65.5% for 102 seats across 21 states and UTs, setting the stage for a compelling electoral journey.
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From – NDTV