The stage is set for voting in the third phase of the 18th Lok Sabha election on Tuesday in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union territories.
The voting is scheduled to commence at 7 am in 1.85 lakh polling stations, amid tight security to avert any untoward incident, and culminate at 6 pm.
Of the 93 Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the third phase, 25 are from Gujarat, 14 from Karnataka, 11 from Maharashtra, 10 from Uttar Pradesh, nine from Madhya Pradesh, seven from Chhattisgarh, five from Bihar, four each from West Bengal and Assam, two each from Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu.
More than 1,300 candidates are in the fray whose fates would be decided by 17.24 crore voters.
Prominent among the candidates from the BJP are Union ministers–Amit Shah and Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, while from Congress is former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh.
Shah is BJP’s nominee from Gandhinagar (Gujarat) seat, Scindia from Guna (Madhya Pradesh), Chouhan from Vidisha seat and Singh from Rajgarh seat.
Other key candidates are wife of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh) parliamentary constituency and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal from Dhubri (Assam) seat.
Notably, the campaign in the third phase was marked by a war of words between the BJP and the Congress over the grand old party’s manifesto ‘Nyay Yatra and Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling Rahul Gandhi as Shehzada’ (prince). Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi called the PM ‘Shahenshah’ (emperor) who lives in palaces.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said for convenience for voters, meticulous arrangements have been made at all polling stations including facilities like water, shamiyana, fans to deal with hot weather conditions.
The poll panel also informed that 75 delegates from 23 countries, who are in India on its invitation, will see the poll process on Tuesday.
The general elections are being held in seven phases between 19th April and 1st June. The first phase of polling was held on 19th April and second phase on 26th April. The first phase recorded 66.14 percent voter turnout and the second 66.71 percent. The results will be declared on 4th June.