Lok Sabha elections: Voting in 117 seats in phase 6, Tamil Nadu key state

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The sixth phase is crucial for the BJP as it is expecting a rich haul from Maharashtra, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, UP, MP and Rajasthan.

New Delhi: In the second biggest phase of the current Lok Sabha elections 117 Lok Sabha seats will vote on Thursday. Among 117 the Lok Sabha seats, 39 are in Tamil Nadu which is voting in a single phase. Remaining 19 seats in Maharashtra including India's business capital Mumbai are also voting in this phase. The rest are - 10 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 12 seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats each in Bihar and Chhattisgarh, six in Assam and West Bengal, remaining five in Rajasthan, four in Jharkhand, one seat in Jammu and Kashmir and the lone seat in Puducherry.

The sixth phase is crucial for the BJP as it is expecting a rich haul from Maharashtra, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. It is also hoping that its multi-party alliance will do well in Tamil Nadu and deliver it some seats.

This phase is very crucial even for the Congress as it is defending a lot of seats in this phase. The Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Prajatantrik (JVMP) in Jharkhand, Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in J&K also have a lot at stake in this phase.

Tamil Nadu

Even though, Tamil Nadu is witnessing a multi-corner contest, the main fight is between chief minister J Jayalalithaa led AIADMK and M Karunanidhi-MK Stalin led DMK. The BJP is fighting as a third front in Tamil Nadu. It has tied up with smaller Dravida parties like MDMK, DMDK, VCK, DK, PMK etc while the Congress is standing alone.

Tamil Nadu has 39 Lok Sabha seats and Union Territory of Puducherry has 1 seat.

The Dalit face of the DMK and 2G scam main accused former Telecom minister A Raja is seeking a re-election from Nilgiris. According to ground reports, he is on a strong wicket.

Karunanidhi's grand nephew and former Telecom and Textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran is seeking re-election from Chennai Central on the DMK ticket. He is facing a tough fight from the ruling AIADMK candidate.

Another DMK leader TR Baalu is contesting from Tanjavur this time. The BJP has fielded its former MP Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari against the AAP candidate and anti-nuclear energy activist U Udayakumar.

The Congress which is fighting alone after 40 long years looks isolated. Union Finance minister P Chidambaram has fielded his son Karti Chidambaram from Sivaganga in his place. Another Congress veteran Manishankar Aiyar is contesting from Mayiladuthurai. However, the Congress is unlikely to get any seat from Tamil Nadu this time.

NDA partner and MDMK chief Vaiko is contesting from Virudunagar. Former union minister Anbumani Ramdoss is contesting from Dharmapuri.

Union minister V Narayanaswamy is seeking re-election from Pudhucherry on the Congress ticket.

Uttar Pradesh

In UP, 12 crucial seats are voting on Thursday. This phase is very important for the ruling Mulayam Singh Yadav clan as three of their family members including its supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav are trying their luck in this phase. Mulayam Singh Yadav is contesting from Mainpuri, his daughter in law and UP CM Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is contesting from Kannauj.

External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid is fighting a tough battle in Farrukabad. Bollywood 'dream girl' Hemamalini is taking on the RLD sitting MP and Ajit Singh's son Jayant Chaudhury in Mathura.

One of India's most colourful politicians Amar Singh is contesting his first direct election from Fatehpur-Sikri on the RLD ticket.

The BJP is hoping to reap a rich harvest in this phase.

Bihar

In the sixth phase of voting in seven seats of Eastern and Northeastern Bihar (known as the Kosi-Seemanchal belt) on April 24, the fight is two-cornered in most of the seats with the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress-Nationalist Congress Party alliance locked in a tough contest against the Bharatiya Janata Party-Lok Janhsakti Party-Rashtriya Lok Samata Party combine. The ruling Janata Dal United has been pushed to the third spot.

A very high concentration of Muslim votes, aggressive campaigning by RJD chief Lalu Prasad to consolidate the Yadavs, retirement of JDU candidate from Kishanganj and some acerbic comments by BJP leaders in the last few days have led to massive polarisation in the area which may hit Narendra Modi's bid to propel his party to power at the Centre after 10 years.

BJP holds Araria, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and the Independent MP from Banka later joined the party while the JDU won from Supaul and Congress in Kishanganj.

Jharkhand

The three Santhal Pargana division seats of Dumka, Rajmahal and Godda along with the industrial constituency of Dhanbad will vote on April 24 bringing an end to the electoral exercise in the state. Dumka is the blockbuster contest of the 2014 Lok Sabha election in the state with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren taking on Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Prajatantrik supreme Babu Lal Marandi.

While Shibu Soren was the winner from Dumka in 2009, BJP won Rajmahal, Godda and Dhanbad. Dumka will be keenly watched as the winner will also have an edge in the Assembly elections later in 2014. Marandi is trying hard to deliver the coup de grace to Soren and emerge as the tallest tribal leader.

Madhya Pradesh

Remaining 10 seats in the state are voting in this phase. Top BJP leader and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj is seeking re-election from Vidisha. She is facing Laxman Singh, younger brother of Digvijaya Singh in Vidisha. According to ground reports, she is a facing a tough battle this time.

Rahul Gandhi's close confidante and sitting MP Meenakshi Natarajan is defending her seat Mandsaur in Western MP.

Maharashtra

Remaining 19 seats are voting in this phase. The most keenly watched battle is being fought in the 6 Lok Sabha seats of Mumbai. Milind Deora, Gurudas Kamath, Priya Dutt and Sanjay Nirupam of the Congress are seeking re-election from Mumbai city. Banker turned AAP leader Meera Sanyal and activist Medha Patkar are also contesting from Mumbai.

Priya Dutt is facing the late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's daughter Poonam Mahajan.

The nine-time Congress MP Manikrao Gavit is trying his luck for the 10 consecutive term from tribal dominated Nandurbar seat. The NCP leader Chagan Bhujbal is also trying his luck from MNS dominated Nashik.

If the MNS manages to eat into the Shiv Sena votes, the Congress-NCP alliance may benefit from it.

Rajasthan

Remaining 5 seats in Rajasthan are voting in this phase. Cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin is contesting from Sawai Madhopur LS seat and union minister Jitendra Singh is contesting from Barmer LS seat in this phase. Another Congress leader Namo Narayan Meena is contesting from Dausa.

Chhattisgarh

Remaining 7 seats in the state are voting in this phase. Last time the Congress won just 1 seat in the state. Union minister Charandas Mahant is seeking reelection from Korba and former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla is contesting on the Congress ticket from Bilaspur.

West Bengal

Six seats are voting in this phase. It is a very crucial phase for the Congress as it is defending 4 seats in this phase. Union minister and WB state Congress president Adir Ranjan Chowdhury is seeking reelection from Murshdabad. Union Minister Deepa Das Munshi defending her seat Raiganj and Abhijit Mukherjee, the son of President Pranab Mukherjee is defending Jangipur LS seat.

Well known singer and composer of Bengali rock band 'Bhumi' Soumitra Roy sitting of the TMC is taking on the sitting MP Mousam Benazeer Noor in Malda North.

Jammu & Kashmir

The PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti is contesting from Ananthnag in south Kashmir. The PDP is hoping to win the seat.

Assam

Six seats in Assam are also voting in this phase. It includes state capital Guwahati, which is witnessing a triangular fight between Congress, BJP and AGP. Manas Bora of the Congress is facing the BJP's sitting MP Bijoya Chakravarty in Guwahati. The AGP has fielded former Union Minister Birendra Prasad Baishya from Guwahati.

Figures at a glance

Lok Sabha 6th phase - 117 Seats

Tamil Nadu - 39

Maharashtra - 19

Assam - 6

Bihar - 7

Chhattisgarh - 7

J&K - 1

MP - 10

Puducherry - 1

Rajasthan - 5

Uttar Pradesh - 12