As part of the first phase of the general elections, five out of Maharashtra’s 48 Lok Sabha constituencies will undergo voting on Friday, initiating the world’s largest democratic exercise across the nation. In addition to Maharashtra, 97 other seats across 20 states and Union territories will also participate in the initial phase.
With 48 seats, Maharashtra boasts the second-highest number of Lok Sabha constituencies after Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 seats. The counting of votes for all 543 seats will take place on June 4, following the conclusion of the seventh and final phase of polling.
Among the notable candidates contesting in the first phase from Maharashtra are Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who seeks re-election from his hometown of Nagpur. Nagpur is significant as it serves as the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Gadkari aims for a third consecutive victory from Nagpur.
Another prominent contender is Sudhir Mungantiwar, a minister in the BJP-led Maharashtra government who is contesting from Chandrapur.
Sunil Mendhe, the incumbent MP from Bhandara-Gondiya, representing the saffron party, is also in the fray.
Of the five constituencies participating in the first phase, the BJP is contesting in four, while its ally, Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is contesting in one. Their primary opponents are the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, comprising the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Additionally, the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) is contesting in two of the seats.
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