On Tuesday, voting commenced in 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories, marking the crucial third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. This phase holds particular significance for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won a significant majority of these seats in the previous 2019 Lok Sabha elections, bolstering the NDAs commanding majority.Candidates and Key FiguresA total of over 1,300 candidates, including approximately 120 women, are contending for seats in the lower house of Parliament. Notable figures like Union ministers Amit Shah, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Mansukh Mandaviya, along with former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, await the electorates verdict on May 7.Key Contests and CandidatesAmong the significant BJP candidates in this phase are Parshottam Rupala from Rajkot, Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad, and SP Singh Baghel from Agra. With Surat already secured by the BJP uncontested, the focus shifts to the remaining seats in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, and Goa.Noteworthy BattlesA compelling contest unfolds in Maharashtras Baramati, where the Pawar family members face off. NCP founder Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule competes against Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Sharad Pawars estranged nephew.Familial LegacyThe late Mulayam Singh Yadavs family is also under the electoral spotlight, with three members contesting. Akshay Yadav seeks to reclaim the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat, while Aditya Yadav makes his electoral debut from Budaun. Former Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and AIUDFs Badruddin Ajmal are other notable contenders in this phase.Voting DetailsApproximately 17.24 crore eligible voters, including 8.39 crore females, will participate in this phase, with 1.85 lakh polling stations and 18.5 lakh officials overseeing the electoral process.Upcoming PhasesFollowing the completion of voting in 189 seats across the first two phases, the subsequent phases are scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, with the final vote count slated for June 4.
