India's Mammoth Election: A Comprehensive Overview
India, the world's largest democracy with over 1.4 billion people, is gearing up for its mammoth election in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, 2024. This colossal democratic exercise involves approximately 969 million registered voters and will cost around 1.2tn rupees (£12bn).
The first phase of the election on April 19 will witness voting in various states and union territories, including Tamil Nadu (39 seats), Rajasthan (12 seats), Uttar Pradesh (8 seats), Madhya Pradesh (6 seeds), Maharashtra (5 seeds), Uttarakhand (5 seeds), Assam (5 seeds), Bihar (4 seats) West Bengal(3 seeds) Arunachal Pradesh(2 seats) Manipur(2 seats) Meghalaya(2 seats) Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura (1 seat each), Jammu and Kashmir (5 seats), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1 seat), Lakshadweep (1 seat) Puducherry(1 seed).
Key constituencies voting on April 19 include Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Nagpur in Maharashtra, Manipur and Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. The two principal coalitions, NDA led by BJP and INDIA led by Indian National Congress (INC), are competing for votes.
In the first phase, notable candidates include Jitin Prasada, who was a Congress member until 2021 and is now the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Uttar Pradesh's Philibit constituency. Another significant figure is Jyoti Mirdha, a doctor who was once a Congress politician before joining the BJP in 2023 and is now the BJP nominee for Nagaur constituency in Rajasthan.
The Indian National Congress (INC) and its allies are also fielding strong candidates. For instance, Rahul Kaswan, who was a BJP veteran and had previously contested from Lakhimpur constituency, is now the Congress candidate for the same seat. Uday Shankar Hazarika, another former BJP member who quit the party and joined the Congress in 2023, is contesting as a Congress candidate for Lakhimpur constituency in Assam.
The first phase of India's elections holds significant implications for its democracy and international relations. The world will be closely watching as this massive democratic exercise unfolds.
