A look at key battles in first phase of Lok Sabha elections
The first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019 will take place on April 11 to choose 91 members of Lok Sabha across 20 states.
The first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019 will take place on April 11 to choose 91 members of Lok Sabha across 20 states.
Here is a look at some key contests in this phase:
UTTAR PRADESH
In the ring: Raghav Lakhanpal (BJP), Imran Masood(INC), Fazlur Rehman(BSP-SP alliance)
Quick take: Sitting MP Raghav Lakhanpal and Imran are two young leaders but the contest has become interesting with BSP fielding Fazlur Rehman. Most top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP chief Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav have visited the constituency. Muslims and Dalit constitute about 70% of voters here.
2014 result: Raghav Lakhanpal defeated Imran Masood by a margin of 65,090 votes.
In the ring: Ajit Singh (RLD) and Sanjeev Baliyan (BJP).
Quick take: RLD’s support base of Jat and Muslim voters was broken after Muzaffarnagar riot in 2013, resulting in defeat of Ajit Singh’s son Jayant in 2014 election. It will be interesting to see whether Muslims and Jats, who comprise half of the constituency’s population, will come together.
2014 results: Sanjeev Baliyan of BJP defeated Kadir Rana of BSP by close to 4 lakh votes.
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In the ring: Jayant Choudhary of RLD (representing SP-BSP alliance) and BJP’s Satyapal Singh.
Quick take: Jat dominated Bagpat constituency has been a bastion of former prime minister Charan Singh’s family. His son and RLD chief Ajit Singh was elected six times from here but the party lost in 2014. His son Jayanat Choudhary is now in fray against BJP`s Dr Satyapal Singh, former Mumbai police commissioner. Muslims, Dalits and Jats are in majority here.
2014 results: Satyapal Singh of BJP defeated Hazi Gulam Mohammad of SP by 2.09 lakh votes.
In the ring: Dr Mahesh Sharma (BJP- sitting MP), Satveer Nagar (BSP-SP-RLD alliance) and Arvind Kumar Singh (Congress)
Quick take: Mahesh Sharma got big ticket projects like the Jewar airport, Noida-Greater Nodia Metro project to the constituency but his accessibility is an issue among voters. The region is also home district of former UP chief minister and BSP chief Mayawati, who has fielded a gujjar from here. The Congress candidate may divide the Rajput votes that are a majority in this constituency.
2014 results: Dr Mahesh Sharma BJP candidate won this seat in 2014 by 2,58,871 votes. He defeated Narendra Bhati of the Samajwadi Party (SP), now with BJP.
In the ring: General (retired) VK Singh (BJP- sitting MP), Suresh Bansal (SP-BSP-RLD alliance), and Dolly Sharma (Congress)
Quick take: The BSP-SP-RLD is posing a challenge to union minister and BJP MP VK Singh. Congress’s Dolly Sharma is the youth face with an MBA and is the youngest of all 12 candidates. Brahmins are in majority in this primarily urban seat.
2014 results: General (retired) VK Singh from BJP won by a margin of 567,260 votes, against Congress’s Raj Babbar.
ANDHRA PRADESH:
In the ring: Daggubati Purandeshwari (BJP), M Sri Bharat (TDP), M S Satyanarayana (YSRC) and V V Lakshminarayana (Jana Sena)
Quick take: BJP’s Purandeshwari, who represented Vizag as Congress candidate between 2009 and 2014, is fighting against her own nephew Bharat (son of her brother Balakrishna). Typically, a Kapu-dominated constituency, Vizag seat is decided by fishermen, industrial workers and youth.
2014 results: K Hari Babu (BJP) won over Y S Vijayalakshmi (YSRC) with a margin of over 90,000 votes
In the ring: K Ramakrishnam Raju (YSRC), Kanumuri Bapi Raju (Congress), K Naga Babu (Jana Sena) and V Sivarama Raju (TDP)
Quick take: Congress MP and actor Chiranjeevi’s brother Naga Babu is testing his luck on Jana Sena ticket, floated by his younger brother Pawan Kalyan. Bhimavaram, from where Pawan Kalyan is contesting for assembly, also falls under this LS constituency. Constituency mostly comprises Kapus, Kshatriyas and OBCs.
2014 winner: Gokaraju Ganga Raju (BJP) with a margin of over 85,000 votes over V Ravindranath of YSRC
In the ring: Maganti Rupa (TDP), M Bharat (YSRC)
Quick take: Constituency witnessed massive agitations for Kapu reservations in the last five years. Construction of prestigious Polavaram project is key to electoral prospects of parties. Constituency mostly comprises Kapus, Dalits and section of Kammas
2014 winner: Maganti Murali Mohan (TDP) won the seat over B V Chowdary of YSRC with a margin of over 1.7 lakh votes
In the ring: Kesineni Srinivas alias Nani (TDP), P Vara Prasad (YSRC)
Quick take: Closer to the power centre, Amaravati is prestigious for chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Constituency mostly comprises Kammas, Kapus, OBCs and Muslims
2014 winner: Kesineni Srinivas (TDP) with a margin of 74,000 votes over Koneru Rajendra Prasad (YSRC)
In the ring: Y S Avinash Reddy (YSR Congress), C Adinarayana Reddy (TDP)
Quick take: Bastion of former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and his son Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the constituency has large number of Backward Castes and Dalits.
Last time winner: Y S Avinash Reddy (YSRC) with a margin of over 1.90 lakh votes over R Srinivasa Reddy (TDP).
TELANGANA
In the ring: Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (Congress), G Ranjith Reddy (TRS)
Quick take: Konda, son-in-law of Apollo Hospitals chairman Pratap C Reddy, is the richest contestant. Ranjith Reddy is a poultry baron. This Reddy-dominated constituency has large number of settlers from Andhra, including Kammas and Kapus.
2014 results: Konda Vishweshwar Reddy won on TRS ticket defeating P Karthik Reddy of Congress with over 73,000 votes.
In the ring: Kalvakuntla Kavitha (TRS), D Arvind (BJP) and Madhu Yashki Goud (Congress)
Quick take: Represented by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter, 178 turmeric and jowar farmers are contesting as independents making this time. Constituency mostly comprises OBCs, Reddys and Muslims
2014 results: Kavitha with a margin of over 1.67 lakh majority over Madhu Yashki Goud (Cong)
In the ring: D K Aruna (BJP), Manne Srinivasa Reddy (TRS) and Vamsichand Reddy (Congress)
Quick take: Represented by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and former Union minister S Jaipal Reddy in the past. Important because of changed political equations – sitting MP A P Jithender Reddy from TRS and former state minister D K Aruna from Congress shifted to the BJP. Constituency mostly comprises Reddys, OBCs and Muslims
2014 results: A P Jithender Reddy (TRS) with a slender margin of 2,590 votes over S Jaipal Reddy (Congress)
In the ring: A Revanth Reddy (Congress), M Rajasekhar Reddy (TRS)
Quick take: This is the largest constituency in the entire country with over 3.1 million voters and is mostly urbanised. Earlier represented by former union minister Sarvey Satyanarayana. Dominated by Reddys, besides settlers from Andhra, including Kammas and Kapus.
2014 results: M Malla Reddy (TDP) with a margin of 28,371 votes over M Hanumantha Rao (TRS). Reddy later defected to the TRS.
In the ring: N Uttam Kumar Reddy (Congress), V Narasimha Reddy (TRS)
Quick take: PCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy is contesting for the seat. Typically a Congress bastion, it was completely conquered by TRS in the recent assembly elections and Congress wants to regain its lost hold. Has good number of SCs and STs, and settlers from Andhra.
2014 results: G Sukhender Reddy (Congress) with a margin of over 1.93 lakh majority over Tera Chinnapa Reddy (TDP). Sukhender Reddy later defected to the TRS
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UTTARAKHAND
In the ring: Tirath Singh Rawat (BJP), Manish Khanduri (INC)
Quick take: Son of former BJP CM and sitting MP from the seat, Maj Gen (retd) BC Khanduri, Manish Khanduri is contesting from Pauri seat on a Congress ticket. Moreover, it is a contest between a Brahmin (Khanduri) and Thakur (Rawat). The region is dominated by Thakurs but Khanduri senior is a well respected leader.
2014 result: Maj Gen (retd) BC Khanduri (BJP) defeated Congress’s Harak Singh Rawat by 1,84,526 votes.
In the ring: Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (BJP), Ambrish Kumar (INC), Antriksh Saini (BSP)
Quick take: Nishank is former BJP CM and sitting MP from the seat and Kumar has contested on Samajwadi Party ticket for LS in 2009 and lost. Muslims and Dalits comprise 50% of voters.
2014 result: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ defeated Congress’s Renuka Rawat, wife of former CM Harish Rawat, by 1,77,822 votes.
In the ring: Ajay Bhatt (BJP), Harish Rawat (Congress)
Quick take: Harish Rawat, former Congress CM, who lost from Haridwar Rural and Kicchha in assembly elections, is trying again. Rawat, a Rajput is pitted against a Brahmin, in a constituency which has sizeable Dalit population. Rawat in 2004 was MP from Haridwar.
2014 result: Bhagat Singh Koshyari (BJP) defeated Congress’s KC Singh Baba by a margin of 2,84,717
CHHATTISGARH
In the ring: Biaduram Kashyap (BJP) and Deepak Biaj (Congress).
Quick take: This tribal dominated reserved constituency has been won by the BJP in the last three Lok Sabha polls but in 2018 assembly elections, the Congress swept the region. BJP denied ticket to its sitting MP Dinesh Kashyap and opted for Baiduram, who had lost to Biaj in 2018 assembly polls from Chirakot assembly.
2014 result: Dinesh Kashyap of the BJP defeated Congress Lakma Kawasi of Congress by 85,000 votes
WEST BENGAL
In the ring: Trinamool’s Paresh Adhikary, Left Front’s Gobinda Roy (All India Forward Bloc), Congress’s Priya Roy Chowdhury and BJP’s Nisith Praminik
Quick take: The Trinamool won the seat in 2014 and 2016 by-polls with a margin of over 4.13 lakh votes. Cooch Behar figures in the BJP’s list of seats that the party can win. Cooch Behar is also the testing ground for Mamata Banerjee’s sharp anti-NRC pitch, since this area has a refugee population.
2014 result: Renuka Sinha of Trinamool won with a margin of 87,106 votes. Her death necessitated a bypoll in 2016, which party’s Partha Pratim Ray won with a margin of 413,241 votes.
In the ring: Trinamool’s Dasrath Tirkey, Left Front’s Mili Oraon (Revolutionary Socialist Party), Congress’s Mohan Lal Basumata and BJP’s John Barla
Quick take: A key contest is on the cards in the seat dominated by tea garden workers and tribals, as the trinamool won by seat only by 21,397 votes.
2014 results: Trinamool’s Dasrath Tirkey won by a margin of 21,397 votes over Manohar Tirkey of the RSP.
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MAHARASHTRA
In the ring: Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari against Congress leader Nana Patole, a BJP rebel.
Quick take: It is also a prestigious seat for the BJP, as it houses the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Nagpur is a cosmopolitan city with a mix of Dalit, Muslim, Kunbi and Brahmin communities.
2014 result: In 2014, Nitin Gadkari (BJP) won with a margin of 2,84,848 votes
In the ring: BJP’s Ramdas Tadas and Congress candidate Charulata Tokas
Quick take: Tokas is the daughter of former state Congress chief Prabha Rao, who was MP from here in 1999. It is traditionally a Congress bastion, but the party lost to the ruling BJP in 2014. The constituency is dominated by Kunbi and Teli communities that are in sizeable numbers.
2014 results: Ramdas Tadas (BJP) won with a margin of 2,15,783 votes
In the ring: NCP’s Nana Panchbudhe against BJP’s Hemant Patle
Quick take: Nana Patole, who is contesting candidate on Congress ticket from Nagpur, defeated NCP stalwart Praful Patel in 2014. This time NCP has opted for former Maharashtra minister Nana Panchbudhe. It will be interesting to see whether NCP is able to retain its bastion.
2014 result: Nana Patole (BJP) won with a margin of 1,49,254 votes
In the ring: Union minister Hansraj Ahir and Congress’s Suresh Dhanorkar.
Quick take: Ahir is a four-term MP from this constituency and his rival was Shiv Sena’s
MLA from Warora assembly constituency, which is part of the Chandrapur Lok Sabha seat.
Chandrapur constituency is dominated by Kunbi and Teli communities.
2014 result: Hansraj Ahir (BJP) won the polls with a margin of 2,26,269 votes
ASSAM
In the ring: Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi is pitted against Asom Gana Parishad and BJP’s alliance candidate Moni Madhab Mahanta.
Quick take: Gogoi is facing challenge from Mahanta, who resigned as vice-president of All Assam Students Union and joined AGP. Mahanta’s brother Keshab Mahanta is the MLA from Kaliabor. The Lok Sabha constituency has a mixed demography consisting of tea garden workers, other indigenous tribal communities, upper caste Assamese, Assamese and Bengali speaking Muslims.
2014 result:Gaurav, the son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, won by over 90,000 votes.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
In the ring: Union junior home minister Kiren Rijiju and former Arunchal chief minister Nabam Tuki.
Quick take: The minister must look for breaking the jinx as this constituency has not returned the incumbent in the last three polls. Jarjum Ete, a popular woman politician who resigned from the Congress and is contesting on a JD(S) ticket, is also in fray.
2014 result: Rijiju won by a little over 41,000 votes.
MEGHALAYA
In the ring: Agatha Sangma of ruling National People’s Party-led alliance against former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma.
Quick take: Agatha, who was elected twice from here, is contesting to retain legacy of her father PA Sangma’s, who represented the constituency for the most part of the last more than four decades. Her brother Conrad Sangma is the state chief minister. This time she faces a tough battle with former Congress Chief minister Mukul Sangma.
2014 result: In the 2016 by-polls, Conrad Sangma won with a margin of over 1,90,000 votes.
ODISHA
In the ring: Koushalya Hikaka(Biju Janata Dal), Jayram Pangi(BJP) and Saptagiri Ulaka(Congress)
Quick take: A Congress bastion for decades, tribal-dominated Koraput in southern Odisha, slipped into BJD’s hands in 2009. This time it is set to witness a keen triangular contest with BJP fielding tribal heavyweight Jayaram Pangi, a Kondh tribal, who had won the seat in 2009 as a BJD nominee defeating veteran leader and nine-time MP Giridhar Gamang. Kondhs constitute about 47% of the population in Koraput.
2014 result: Jhina Hikaka(BJD) won by a margin of 19,328 votes
In the ring: Pushpendra Singhdeo(Biju Janata Dal), Basant Panda(BJP) and Bhakta Charan Das(Congress)
Quick take: A BJD bastion for quite some time, Kalahandi is witnessing high profile contest with BJP fielding its state unit president Basant Panda, a Brahmin. The BJD has replaced sitting MP and erstwhile royal Arka Keshari Deo with another royal Pushpendra Singhdeo and the Congress has imposed faith in former union minister Bhakta Charan Das. Though unreserved seat, tribals constitute about 30% of the population.
2014 result: Arka Keshari Deo (BJD) won by a margin of 56,347
