Polling on 93 Constituencies: Today marks the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, with 93 constituencies across 10 states and 2 Union Territories going to polls.
Surat Seat Won Unopposed: The BJP secured victory in the Surat seat uncontested, as the Election Commission rejected the nomination of the Congress candidate and other contenders withdrew from the race.
BJP Strongholds: Phase 3 elections are primarily in areas considered strongholds for the BJP. In the 2019 elections, the party clinched victory in 72 of the 93 seats being contested today, with Gujarat alone accounting for 26 seats.
Karnataka's Political Landscape: Karnataka, another BJP stronghold, faces uncertainty due to a major sex scandal involving the BJP ally Janata Dal Secular. The scandal could influence women voters' preferences.
Maharashtra's Complex Dynamics: Maharashtra, where 11 seats are up for grabs, presents a complex political landscape. Key battles include factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar vying for dominance.
States Going to Polls: The states participating in Phase 3 include Assam (4 seats), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Goa (2), Gujarat (26), Karnataka (14), Madhya Pradesh (8), Maharashtra (11), Uttar Pradesh (10), and West Bengal (4), along with Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2).
Betul, Madhya Pradesh: Polling will also occur in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, where the election scheduled for Phase 2 was postponed following the death of a candidate from Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party.
Postponed Election in Jammu and Kashmir: The Anantnag-Rajouri constituency's election in Jammu and Kashmir was postponed due to concerns raised by the BJP about adverse weather conditions affecting campaigning. The BJP is not contesting from this seat.
Key Candidates: Notable candidates in this phase include Union ministers Amit Shah, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Pralhad Joshi, and former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, among others.
Opposition Contenders: Opposition members vying for seats include Dimple Yadav from Samajwadi Party, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Digvijaya Singh from Congress, and Supriya Sule from NCP, along with Badruddin Ajmal of AIDUF.
The next phase of elections is scheduled for May 13, with the counting of votes set for June 4 following the conclusion of the last phase on June 1.