Lok Sabha elections: Everything that happened in 2nd phase
A total of 88 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and on Union territory voted on Friday. The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections saw a voter turnout of 60.7% till 5:00pm. Tripura led the voter turnout at 68.92%, while Maharashtra trailed with over 43.01%. The voter turnout was a pleasant surprise, since the Election Commission of India feared that hot weather and weddings in several parts of India might hinder the turnout. Here's a quick recap of Friday's polling:
BJP's Sukanta Majumdar, TMC clash at polling booth
The state of West Bengal, which is no stranger to violence, especially during elections, saw three constituencies—Raiganj, Darjeeling, and Balurghat—vote. While Raiganj and Darjeeling were relatively quiet, workers of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed in Balurghat. The altercation broke out when BJP candidate from Balurghat, Sukanta Majumdar, alleged that a large number of TMC workers were present at a polling booth. In a video posted by ANI, the slogan "Go back" (Majumdar) can be heard.
In a first, Bru migrants exercise franchise
For the first time since their displacement from Mizoram in 1997, roughly 37,000 Bru migrants, who are now permanent residents of Tripura, voted in the Lok Sabha elections. Bru migrants have been residing in transit camps located within North Tripura district for over two decades after the 1997 ethnic clashes. Bruno Msha, general secretary of the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum, told the Indian Express, "We are voting for the first time in Tripura in the Lok Sabha polls."
Tejasvi Surya booked
In a separate development, Bengaluru South sitting MP Tejasvi Surya was booked by Karnataka's chief electoral officer for posting a video on X in which he "solicited votes on the ground of religion." According to reports, Surya has been booked in response to a video posted by him of "Surya Tilak" being performed at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir. The case was registered under Section 123(3A) of The Representation of the People Act, 1951. Surya is yet to comment on the matter.
Which states voted today
Voters from five constituencies each in Assam and Bihar, three in Chhattisgarh, 14 in Karnataka, 20 in Kerala, six in Madhya Pradesh, eight in Maharashtra, one each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir, 13 in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, and three in West Bengal exercised their franchise in the second phase. Notably, over half of the seats in Friday's contests were in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka and the northwestern state of Rajasthan.
Originally, 89 constituencies were scheduled for polling
Originally, 89 constituencies were set for polling, but due to unforeseen circumstances involving a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate, voting in Madhya Pradesh's Betul was delayed. It will now take place on May 7. Notably, the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections registered an underwhelming voter turnout of around 66.1%, which is a drop of nearly four percentage points compared to 2019. Extreme heat, localized violence, and specific regional demands may have reportedly contributed to the subdued voter enthusiasm.
