New Delhi, Apr 10 : Campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections has reached a feverish pitch. Notification for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections will be issued on Saturday. 85 Parliamentary constituencies spread over 8 states and Union Territories will be covered in this phase. The states are Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
Meanwhile, Scrutiny of nominations for the remaining 77 Parliamentary seats going to polls in the third phase will be taken up on Saturday.
Congress and NCP kick started their joint campaign in Maharastra’s Vidarba region with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP President Sharad Pawar making a joint appearance at an election rally at Sakoli in Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha constituency from where NCP leader and Union Minister Praful Patel is contesting.
This is Ms Gandhi’s first visit to the state for campaigning after the election dates were announced. Ms. Gandhi is also scheduled to address three more rallies in Chandrapur, Yavatmal and Ramtek constituencies later in the day.
Addressing a rally at Chandauli in Uttar Pradesh, National General Secretary of Congress Mr. Rahul Gandhi targeted BJP and then NDA government on several issues including alleged rise in the incidents of terrorist activities.
Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani also addressed a series of election meetings in the State. He said no government is possible at the centre without support of BJP or Congress.
He said there is no political existence of third front. He also criticised BSP and SP led governments in Uttar Pradesh and said that these were responsible for the backwardness of the state.
Newly formed alliance of SP, RJD and LJP organised rallies at Etawah, Bareilly, Gorakhpur and Varanasi in the favour of SP candidates and Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan addressed the rallies.
Mr. Manjit Singh has been appointed new principle secretary (home) of the state.
In Gujarat, scrutiny of nomination papers is taking place on Friday for the 26 Lok Sabha seats. A total of 558 nomination papers have been filed. AIR Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that BJP, Congress and BSP have filed their candidates on all the 26 seats of the State but the final picture will be emerged on Monday evening after the last date of withdrawal of nomination papers.
Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla and Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan are arriving in Jammu today on a day long visit to review election arrangements for Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur -Doda Lok Sabha constituencies.
Polling in these constituencies will be held on the 16th and 23rd of this month in the first and second phases.
In Assam, altogether 158 candidates are left in the fray for the 14 Lok Sabha seats polling for which has been slated in two phases on 16th and 23rd of this month.
37 candidates will vie for the three constituencies of Silchar, karimganj and Autonomous District going to polls in the first phase of election on 16th of this month.121 candidates are contesting for the remaining 11 constituencies going to polls in the second phase on 23rd.
AIR Guwahati Correspondent reports that with only four days left for campaigning for the first phase of election, political parties contesting the election have geared up their strategy to woo the voters.
Addressing a rally at Salganga near Silcher in Assam Senior Congress leader Mr. Pranab Mukherjee highlighted the achievements of the UPA.
CPIM General Secretary Prakash Karat has said Congress cannot form a stable government at the Centre without the support of the Left Parties.
He was talking to newsmen at Kozhikode in Kerala. He hoped that non-Congress, Non-BJP parties will be in a position to form the government at the centre.
