The fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections commenced on May 20 with the polling for forty nine seats including high-profile constituencies of Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.
Including Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, and Rahul Gandhi, who are the key leaders to be contested upon during this election period covering 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in U.P.
Voting in Bangaon (SC), Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Sreerampur, Hooghly and Arambag (SC) Lok Sabha constituencies began at 7am and will close at 6pm.
A total of 88 candidates are contesting in the fifth phase with Bongaon having the highest number of fifteen challengers where Union Minister Shantanu Thakur is contesting against TMC’s Biswajit Das.
Jammu and Kashmir
In Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency polling has started with 22 candidates including ex-chief minister Omar Abdullah as candidates for the seat.
The constituency covers an area of eighteen assembly segments situated under the three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora and also comprise two Budgam segments which were added on the recommendations of Delimitation Commission after two years back.
The first major political battle post Article 370 abrogation in 2019 will decide the fate of Mr Abdullah who is a National Conference Vice-President along with others. The biggest challenge to Mr Abdullah comes from separatist-turned-politician and former minister Sajad Lone who heads People’s Conference.
However, it is the jailed Awami Ittehad Party leader and ex MLA Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid’s presence that has made this election spicy.
The People’s Democratic Party has fielded its former Rajya Sabha member Mir Mohammad Fayaz while Muneer Khan brother to jailed separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan appears as an independent candidate.
