New Delhi: Millions Vote On Day 1 Of General Election, 60.03% Polling In Biggest Phase Lok Sabha Election Phase 1 Voting: Riding high on the high-octane campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, the BJP is eyeing to hit 370 of 543 Lok Sabha seats, a steep rise from its score of 2019. Prime Minister has set a target for the NDA at 400.
The 2024 Lok Sabha polls kicked off today, projected by the BJP as a watershed on the road to India’s centenary in 2047 and by the Opposition as a make-or-break juncture for preserving democracy. The mammoth electoral exercise is spread over seven phases; voting for 102 parliamentary constituencies was announced in this phase in these 21 states and Union Territories.
Key Highlights from the Election Kickoff Stage
- Coverage: All constituencies covered across Tamil Nadu (39), Rajasthan (12), Uttar Pradesh (8), Madhya Pradesh (6), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2) and single seats in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim & Lakshadweep. Other contests: five seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, one each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
- Four states – Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh – are also holding assembly elections along with the Lok Sabha polls.
- Voter Turnout: The overall voter turnout was 60.03% by 7 PM, and at the state level, it was 63.2% in Tamil Nadu and 50%.
- Incidents and Allegations: The polling witnessed incidents of violence, such as clashes in Cooch Behar of West Bengal and reports of firing in Manipur, among other disruptions reported by PTI.
- BJP’s Ambitions: Having reiterated its ambitions under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, the party has set for itself a target of 370 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, trying to overcome its performance of 2019 with the broader goal of 400 seats within the NDA coalition.
- Opposition Dynamics: Intra-competition between various regions of the INDIA alliance was depicted, while the recent arrest of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pointed to numerous internal challenges predicting unity.
- Regional Strategies: Here, BJP wants to consolidate their firm and loud presence in the northeast, Hindi heartland, Jammu, and Gujarat and target some gains in West Bengal and Odisha. It will penetrate the traditionally resistant southern states with special efforts towards Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- Congress Counterstrategy: The Congress, down but not out in most of northern India, is banking on recent state electoral wins and alliances to regain lost ground, thereby expressing confidence in improved performances across the north and significant outcomes in the south.
- Prominent Candidates: The elections are conducted with prominent candidates like eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers, and other high-profile leaders in the poll fray from across the constituencies.
- Vote Counting: The process for counting votes will take place on 4th June, through which the composition of the new Lok Sabha is to be decided.
Google Doodle also gave a headstart to the voting in India’s Lok Sabha election 2024 with an inked index finger. The inked finger symbolizes the continuous process of voting across the country, where today marks the beginning of the first phase of general elections.
All that sets the scene for one of the severe realignments of India’s political landscape in this pivotal election, with high stakes for all the parties involved.