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1. Nationwide Voting: Polling is underway in 93 constituencies across 10 states and a Union Territory in the third phase of the staggered seven-round Lok Sabha polls. Notably, the election in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency in Jammu and Kashmir was postponed to May 25.
2. Prominent Leaders Cast Votes: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel among those who exercised their franchise.
3. Turnout Statistics: At 1 pm, six hours into voting, an average turnout of 39.9 per cent was recorded.
4. Significance of Phase 3: With more than half of the 543 parliamentary seats having gone to polls, this phase could indicate the country’s electoral direction.
5. BJP’s Surat Win: BJP secures victory in Surat seat unopposed after Election Commission rejects Congress candidate’s nomination.
6. BJP Strongholds: Phase 3 areas are predominantly BJP strongholds, with the party having won 72 of the 92 seats contested today in 2019, including 26 in Gujarat alone.
7. Challenges in Karnataka: Karnataka, a BJP stronghold, faces uncertainty due to a sex scandal affecting BJP ally Janata Dal Secular.
8. Maharashtra Dynamics: Maharashtra sees key battles, including the Pawar versus Pawar contest in Baramati, highlighting political shifts in the state.
9. States in Phase 3: Polling in Assam (4 seats), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Goa (2), Gujarat (26), Karnataka (14), Madhya Pradesh (8), Maharashtra (11), Uttar Pradesh (10), West Bengal (4), Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu (2).
10. Key Contenders: Notable candidates include Union ministers Amit Shah, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Pralhad Joshi, and former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with key opposition figures like Dimple Yadav, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Digvijaya Singh, Supriya Sule, and Badruddin Ajmal.
The next phase of the election is scheduled for May 13, with vote counting slated for June 4 after the final phase on June 1.
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