Lok Sabha elections 2024: As India prepares to vote for 1st phase, a look at the constituencies and candidates

Representation image. Pic/Election commission

The Lok Sabha elections 2024 are set to commence with the first phase of the polling to be he held on Friday, April 19. As many as 102 constituencies spanning across 21 states and union territories will vote in the first phase. There general elections for the 18th Lok Sabha are scheduled in total seven phases, starting from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes for all constituencies will be on June 4.

As India prepares for the first phase of voting, let's take a look at the states, constituencies and some of the prominent seats and candidates.

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The states and union territories which will vote on April 19 are: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Notably, the smaller states and union territories will vote in single phase on April 19, and the larger states will vote for the remaining constituencies in the impending phases. There are total 543 constituencies, with Uttar Pradesh contributing highest 80, followed by Maharashtra 48 constituencies.

The states and number of constituencies which will vote on April 19 are:

• Uttar Pradesh: 8 out of the 80 constituencies
• Maharashtra: 5 out of the 48 constituencies
• West Bengal: 3 out of 42 constituencies
• Bihar: 4 out of 40 constituencies
• Tamil Nadu: All 39 of constituencies
• Madhya Pradesh: 6 out of 29 constituencies
• Rajasthan: 12 out of 25 constituencies
• Assam: 5 out of 14 constituencies
• Chhattisgarh: 1 out 11 constituencies
• Jammu and Kashmir: 1 out of 5 constituencies
• Uttarakhand: All 5 of constituencies
• Tripura: 1 out of 2 constituencies
• Arunachal Pradesh: Both of the two constituencies
• Manipur: Both of the two constituencies
• Meghalaya: Both of the two constituencies
• Mizoram: The only constituency
• Nagaland: The only constituency
• Sikkim: The only constituency
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands: The union territory's only constituency
• Lakshadweep: The union territory's only constituency
• Puducherry: The union territory's only constituency

Some of the prominent candidates in the first phase are:

• BJP's Nitin Gadkari, Nagpur, Maharashtra: Union Transport Minister. The sitting MP and nominated for the third time
• BJP's Jitin Prasada, Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh: He has been fielded by dropping Varun Gandhi.
• BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan from Chennai South, Tamil Nadu: She recently resigned as Governor of Telangana to return to active politics
• Congress' Karti Chdambaram, Shivaganga, Tamil nadu: The sitting MP and son of senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram
• BJP's K. Annamalai, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: The former IPS officer, and now the young, singham leader and face of BJP in the south
• DMK's Dayanidhi Maran: Chennai Central, Tamil Nadu: The sitting MP is renominated in the DMK's stronghold constituency
• Congress' Nakul Nath, Chindwara, Madhya Pradesh: Sitting MP and son of senior leader and former chief minister Kamal Nath
• Congress-SP alliance candidate Imran Masood, Sharanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Fielded from the very crucial western Uttar Pradesh constituency, Imran is the son of nine-time MP Rashid Masood.