BJP’s Hindi heartland dominance faces test in phase 3 polls

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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10 states and 2 union territories with 94 constituencies will be voting in the third phase. Uttar Pradesh (UP) will witness polling in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies. Mainpuri constituency in UP will be key where Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party is pitted against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jaiveer Singh. BJP had won 8 of these 10 seats in 2019.

In Bihar, 5 seats will be voting in the third phase. From the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Janata Dal (United) (JDU) is contesting on 3 seats. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and BJP are fighting for one seat each. From the opposition’s block, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is contesting from 3 seats, The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and Vikassheel Insaan Party are fighting from one seat each.

Moving to Chhattisgarh where it will be the last phase of polling for the state. Voting for 11 total seats was split over 3 phases. In the third phase, polling will take place in 7 constituencies. The state had voted for a BJP government in the assembly elections. The BJP had also won 10 out of the 11 seats in Chhattisgarh in the 2019 polls.

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Abhishek Shukla, Editor, of News18 Chhattisgarh, Brajmohan Singh, Editor, of News18 Bihar and Manmohan Rai, Editor, of News18 UP discussed this in detail.

“The third phase is the phase, which has the maximum number of big faces. The so-called VIP politicians are the famous faces of UP politics. This is also the belt which is the Yadav family’s stronghold and Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, is contesting from Mainpuri. That seat has become the hot seat because she is pitted against BJP’s Jaiveer Singh,” Rai said.

“Voting turnout has been very low in the first round, around 50% and 54% in the second round. Third round – political parties are hoping that it will be slightly high. In Bihar, out of five seats, JDU is going to contest on three seats, LJP is going to contest on one seat and BJP on one seat. Caste is going to play a very important role,” said Brijmohan Singh.

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Madhumita Murgia, AI Editor, Financial Times, Author, Code-Dependent explored what impact deepfakes and artificial intelligence (AI) could have in general elections 2024 and how it has affected public perceptions ahead of the ongoing elections and what important steps can be taken to combat it.

“There is always going to be external forces that shape what people believe. That is how propaganda works, how campaigning works and as people we listen to what other people say and then we make our decision based on all of these outside influences,” she said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow