The ruling BJP currently holds 56 of the 72 seats across nine States for which voters on Monday recorded a slightly higher turnout of 64 per cent in the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, compared to 63.05 per cent in the 2014 elections.

The Congress fought hard to upset the BJP’s sweep of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, States it wrested from its rival in the recent Assembly elections. The BJP faced a tough challenge from the regional players — the SP-BSP-RLD Grand Alliance in Uttar Pradesh, the BJD in Odisha and the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, where widespread violence was reported through the day.

West Bengal reported the highest voter turnout of 76.44 per cent while Jammu and Kashmir reported the lowest turnout of 10.32 per cent. Anantnag and Pulgam together reported a voter turnout of 12.33 per cent, Election Commission (EC) officials said at a press conference here after polls for the fourth phase had closed.

Violence in Bengal

EC officials added that the polls passed off peacefully barring some incidents in West Bengal. A case was registered against Union Minister Babu Supriyo for entering the poll booth with his security personnel and manhandling a security guard there.

In Madhya Pradesh , where the BJP had won 27 of the total 29 seats in 2014, the Congress had engaged the ruling party in a keen contest in the six seats (Sidhi, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhindwara, Shahdol and Jabalpur), where an average 65.77 per cent polling was recorded, against 64.88 per cent in 2014.

In Rajasthan , the BJP seemed to have worked overtime to correct the caste arithmetic and whip up outrage against the government in the State that fetched rich dividends for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 by delivering all the 25 Lok Sabha seats to the party.

The overall voter turnout in Rajasthan in 2014 was 63.09 per cent, reflecting a wave election in favour of the BJP. But by 2018, anti-incumbency coupled with certain dominant social groups such as the Rajputs being angry with the BJP over a host of issues switched the voter over to the Congress.

The BJP has since rejigged the caste arithmetic, inducting influential social group leaders among Jats and Gujjars into its campaign.

Polling was held in six constituencies in Mumbai and 11 other seats in Maharashtra today. The overall percentage in the 17 seats was 52.07 per cent.

 

READ:West Bengal: Clashes disrupt polling, Babul Supriyo’s car vandalised

 

Odisha , which saw six Parliamentary constituencies going to polls on Monday, reported a provisional voter turnout of 68 per cent (73.75 per cent in 2014),.

Jharkhand reported a voter turnout of 63.69 per cent (63.82 per cent in 2014), Bihar had a 58.92 (provisional) per cent voter turnout (56.18 in 2014) while Maharashtra reported a provisional voter turnout of 58.23 per cent (55.58 per cent in 2014).

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The completion of the fourth phase means that 24 states and union territories have completed the process of voting for the Lok Sabha; 12.8 crore voters were eligible to cast their votes at 1.4 lakh polling stations across the country on Monday.

Officials said that the total electorate for all the seven phases of the general elections stood at 91.136 crore voters. The actual number will be higher as about 18 lakh services’ voters are not included in the this total electorate. It includes 1.91 crore first time voters or voters who are between 18-and 19 years old, officials said.

While Maharashtra saw 17 Parliamentary seats going to polls on Monday, 13 seats each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, eight in West Bengal, six in Madhya Pradesh, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and one in Jammu and Kashmir also voted on Monday.

READ:Lok Sabha polls: 2.7 lakh paramilitary, 20 lakh state police deployed

 

Meanwhile authorities seized ₹ 3274 crore of illegal cash, drugs and narcotics and precious metals including drugs and narcotics worth ₹ 1214 crore, precious metals including gold and silver worth ₹972 crore and cash worth.

 

For the latest on elections: Elections 2019

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