Notification for first phase of Lok Sabha elections issued

The process to elect the 17th Lok Sabha formally began on Monday with Election Commission issuing notification for the first phase of polling.

91 parliamentary constituencies spread over 20 states and union territories will go to polls on 11th of next month.

The onset of the election process has , in fact, already kick started the political slugfest in the most crucial of all states – Uttar Pradesh. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi started her campaign from Prayagraj, she began her ‘Ganga Yatra’ on boat to reach out to voters.

She interacted with a cross section of people, including students, and invited some of them to join her on the motorboat as she undertook her much anticipated ride from the Manaiya Ghat in Kachnar tehsil of Prayagraj district.

The BJP has however claimed that her campaign will have no impact on the electoral scenario.

In 2014 General Elections, BJP led NDA had won 52 out of these 91 seats while Congress led UPA could secure victories on 9 seats only.

Others bagged 30 seats in total. Partywise BJP bagged the most 32 seats, TDP 16, Shiv Sena 2, Congress 9, TRS 11, YSRCP 9, BJD 4, TMC 2 and LJP, NPF, NPP, NCP, CPM, SDF, PDP, AIMIM one each.

The Election commission also issued notification for assembly elections in Andhara Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

All the 175 seats of Andhra Pradesh Assembly, 28 out of total 147 seats of Odisha Assembly, all 32 constituencies in Sikkim and all 60 seats of Arunachal Pradesh assembly will go to polls on the same day.

All the political parties are now engaged in election campaigning.