Lok Sabha Election 2024: Phase 5 voting ends with voter turnout over 57%, experts weigh in on key battles

From Ladakh in the Himalayas to Mumbai on the Arabian Sea coast, phase 5 of the Lok Sabha elections saw 49 seats across six states and two Union Territories going to the polls. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had already won 32 of these seats in the 2019 elections.

Thirteen seats in Maharashtra, including six in Mumbai, were voted on, capping the state’s election season. Historically, the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena party have dominated the Mumbai region, a trend that was evident in the 2019 elections. However, voter turnout in Mumbai has generally remained subdued.

Clyde Crasto, spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar, suggested that there was a change in sentiment and people no longer want the Modi government. He said: “Six months ago the mood was different, but people are now starting to realize that we don’t need this government. Farmers are distressed, youth are distressed, and this is reflected in the BJP’s rhetoric. , which moved away from substantive issues.”

Congress party spokesperson Bhawna Sharma Jain criticized the BJP’s approach in Maharashtra. She accused Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of lowering political standards, alleging misuse of government agencies to undermine democracy and political stability in the state.

In West Bengal, seven Lok Sabha seats were contested in this phase. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) held five of these seats in 2019, while the BJP held two. The state recorded high voter turnout, although sporadic incidents of violence were reported.

Rahul Verma, senior research fellow at the Center for Policy Research (CPR), highlighted the fierce competition in West Bengal. He noted, “West Bengal will be a hotly contested election this time, given its history in 2019. The high voter turnout indicates significant uncertainty over the outcome. Pre-poll surveys suggest tough competition, with the TMC and BJP likely to see minor changes in their seat tally.

Fourteen seats in Uttar Pradesh, including prominent constituencies like Lucknow, Rae Bareli and Amethi, were in the fray. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh clashed with Samajwadi Party’s Ravidas Mehrotra in Lucknow.

In Rae Bareli, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contested the seat vacated by his mother Sonia Gandhi against BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh. In Amethi, Union Minister Smriti Irani, who defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019, was aiming to retain her seat against Congress’s Kishori Lal Sharma.

CPR’s Rahul Verma highlighted the BJP’s strong position in Uttar Pradesh, but cautioned against expectations of a resounding victory. He said, “While it is possible for the BJP to retain its previous tally, crossing the 70-seat mark like in 2014 seems difficult given the current dynamics of the campaign. »

In Odisha, five Lok Sabha seats and 35 Assembly constituencies went to the polls, with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik seeking a record sixth term as chief minister.

Baramullah in Kashmir recorded a remarkable 55% voter turnout, the highest in at least four decades. The leading candidates included Omar Abdullah of the National Conference and Kashmir People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone. Interestingly, the BJP did not field any candidate in this constituency.

Ladakh recorded a high turnout of nearly 70%, paving the way for a close race between the BJP and the Congress.

Watch the accompanying video for the full discussion.