Parties intensify campaign for 2nd Phase of Lok Sabha Polls

With two days left for campaigning to end for the second phase of General Elections, leaders of political parties are making all-out efforts to woo the voters by holding back to back rallies and road shows in favour of their candidates.

Twenty seats in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight each in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three each in West Bengal and Chhattisgarh and one each in Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in this second phase on coming Friday.

The filing of nomination papers for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections ended on Friday and Today is the last day for the withdrawal of candidature.

Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed election rallies at Jalore and Banswara in Rajasthan. 

He said that the country needs a stable government which can develop basic infrastructure facilities as per the future requirements, can understand the dreams of the youth and make policies according to them and take care of women, farmers, poor, deprived, tribal and backward class people.

On the other hand, speaking at a public meeting in Balurghat, Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee said, the Central government led by BJP has neglected the common man, including minority and SC/ST people

Meanwhile, In Gujarat, nominations of 328 candidates were found valid for the Lok Sabha polls and 27 candidates for the Assembly by-elections. The scrutiny of nominations was held on Saturday.

Akashvani correspondent reports that the nomination of Congress candidate from Surat Loksabha seat Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over proposers’ sign discrepancies.

The nomination form of Congress substitute candidate Suresh Padsala, was also invalidated, as a result there will not be any Congress candidate in the poll fray on Surat seat.

Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat has the maximum number of 30 candidates and Bardoli Lok Sabha seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes has the least number of 3 candidates.

A total of 433 candidates had filed their nomination papers for the Lok Sabha general election and 37 candidates had filed their nomination papers for the Assembly by-election.

The final number of candidates in the fray for the parliamentary elections will be clear by today as it is the last date for the withdrawal of candidature.

BJP leader and Union Minister General V K Singh will participate in public meetings in favour of NDA candidate in Chalakkudi constituency today. 

He will also take part in an ex-Servicemen meet. Party leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will also participate in a public meeting this evening.

Later, Biswa Sarma will take part in a roadshow this evening in Ernakulam constituency.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has cancelled his public programmes in Thrissur and Alappuzha due to illness.