A total of 165 assembly constituencies spread over the hilly state of Uttarakhand, coastal state of Goa and second phase of Uttar Pradesh voted on Monday.
In the second phase 55 seats in U.P., mainly in western region, went to polls, voting concluded in single-day polling on 70 seats in the hilly state of Uttarakhand and 40 assembly seats in the coastal state of Goa. In both the states – Goa and Uttarakhand – the BJP is in power and is trying its best to retain them.
In the all-important second phase of polling in the most populous state of U.P, a total of 2.02 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 586 candidates in 55 assembly seats. In the second phase, 23,404 polling centres and 12,544 polling stations have been set up.
The belt of Saharanpur-Rampur-Moradabad and Bareilly region is voting on Monday in U.P. which is said to be stronghold of the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal combine. Out of the 55 seats, the BJP had won 38 seats in the last assembly elections. The crucial question in the second phase of polling in U.P. is: Will the SP-RLD combine be able to dent the BJP who is eyeing a second run in office in Lucknow.
In the hilly state of Uttarakhand, the battle for ballot began in 70 Assembly constituencies spread across 13 districts in the state where 632 candidates are in the fray. A total of 81 lakh voters are on the rolls to decide the electoral fate of the candidates. As many as 11,697 polling stations are spread over 8,624 locations in the hilly state. Former chief minister and old warhorse of the Congress Harish Rawat is eyeing to make a comeback while the BJP fight is being led by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
In the coastal state of Goa, multi-corner contest is deciding the fate of 301 candidates who are in the fray for 40 Assembly seats though the state has traditionally been witness to a bipolar contest. This time around, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Trinamool Congress and other smaller parties are testing the electoral waters in Goa.
Some of the key candidates include Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant (BJP), Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat (Congress), former CMs Churchill Alemao (TMC), Ravi Naik (BJP), Laxmikant Parsekar (independent), former deputy CMs Vijai Sardesai (GFP) and Sudin Dhavalikar (MGP), late CM Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar and AAP’s CM face Amit Paleker.