India Election 2024 Phase 2: Who Votes And What’s At Stake
On April 26, 88 constituencies in 13 states vote in the world’s largest election’s second phase.
Kerala and Karnataka are the focus of India’s massive parliamentary elections in the second of seven stages on April 26.
Round two contenders include a former leader of India’s main opposition who has never won a general election for his party, a former top UN official and author, and a former Bollywood star who is running for a third time but has disappointed her constituency by not being on the ground.
On April 19, the general elections for 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of parliament, began. On June 4, the outcomes of the biggest democratic exercise in history will be revealed.
With more than the total populations of the US, EU, and Russia put together, India’s 969 million registered voters make it the world’s largest electorate.
On top of the many local and state candidates, there are two major coalitions in this election: the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a group of twenty-eight parties united by the goal of deposing the BJP.
In phase 2, who votes?
The following 88 constituencies from 13 states and union territories will vote:
1. Kerala: All 20 southern state seats
2. Rajasthan: 13 of 25 western seats
3. Karnataka: 14 of 28 seats in the south
4. Uttar Pradesh: Eight of 80 seats.
5. Madhya Pradesh: Six of 29 seats.
6. Assam: Five of 14 seats in the east
7. Chhattisgarh: Three of 11 central seats
8. Bihar: 5 of 40 seats in eastern state
9. Maharashtra: Eight of 48 western seats
10. West Bengal: Three of 42 seats in the east
11. Tripura: One of two northeastern seats.
12. Jammu and Kashmir: One of five union territory seats.
13. Manipur: Parts of one of the northeastern state’s two seats that voted in the first phase will vote on April 26.
Key constituencies include which?
Wayanad, Kerala: Rahul Gandhi will battle left-wing Communist Party of India challenger Annie Raja to retain the constituency he won in 2019. Gandhi’s Congress and the communists are INDIA alliance members but rivals in Kerala. Gandhi is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of former prime ministers, yet his Congress party lost two landslides to the BJP. Also competing is BJP state president K Surendran. Since 2009, Congress has dominated Wayanad. Kerala is the only major Indian state without a BJP parliamentarian.
A senior Congress member, ex-minister, former UN undersecretary-general, and author, Shashi Tharoor is seeking re-election in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. BJP junior information technology minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is his main opponent. The ruling party hopes to win despite its low numbers and lack of support. BJP has finished second in this constituency in the last two general elections, behind Congress. Kerala’s population is 55% Hindu, 27% Muslim, and 18% Christian. In Kerala, the Hindu nationalist BJP has struggled to secure the majority of Hindu votes.
Southern Karnataka’s Mandya seat has never been won by the BJP. Modi promised to cross 400 seats with his alliance this time, but only strong gains in southern India can do that. The BJP won 25 of 28 seats in the 2019 general election and dominated the state from 2008 to 2013 and 2018 to 2023. However, the Congress, which is back in power in Karnataka, is aiming to win a big victory by campaigning against the government, arguing it discriminates against southern states, which receive limited federal resources. Congress candidate Venkataramane Gowda (Star Chandru) faces former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal Secular, a BJP ally.
Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura: Hema Malini of the BJP has held this seat since 2014. Her opponent is Congress state president Mukesh Dhangar. Mathura and other cities in India’s most populous state are BJP strongholds with mosques Modi claims were erected on damaged temples. Shahi Idgah mosque, Mathura, 17th century. Mathura may vote for the BJP, although Malini is accused of only visiting the constituency during elections.
Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh: BJP former minister Mahesh Sharma won twice here. Mohammed Akhlaq was lynched in Bisahda in this constituency in 2015 for stealing and killing a cow. The 52-year-old Muslim ironsmith was pulled from home and beaten to death over the rumor. Recently, Prime Minister Modi was criticized for calling Muslims “infiltrators” and inciting anti-Muslim sentiment. At an election rally in Rajasthan, the prime minister said the opposition wants to give wealth to “those who have many children,” referring to Muslims.
When does voting begin and end?
Voting runs from 7am (01:30 GMT) till 6pm (12:30 GMT). Even if voting places stay open longer, voters in line will vote.
In the second phase, who rules states that vote?
A left-wing alliance led by INDIA’s Communist Party (Marxist) governs Kerala.
BJP rules Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
The BJP dominates Bihar and Maharashtra through partnerships.
The Congress rules Karnataka.
India’s All India Trinamool Congress Party governs West Bengal.
Who won these 2019 Lok Sabha seats?
Congress-led alliances UPA and UDF won 23 of 88 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala in the previous election. The INDIA bloc includes several UPA parties.
The BJP-led NDA won 62 seats in 2019.
Karnataka and Maharashtra each elected two independents in 2019. The Bahujan Samaj Party won one Uttar Pradesh seat.
Delimitation in Assam last year reorganized constituencies. The Autonomous District of Assam included Diphu as an assembly segment in 2019. Diphu replaced the Autonomous District as a constituency in 2024. BJP took the Autonomous District in 2019. The BJP won Mangaldoi, now Darrang-Udalguri.
How much of India has voted?
First phase elections were held on April 19 in 102 constituencies in 21 states. All Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry seats were voted on.
Outer Manipur will vote again in phase two after voting for both seats in phase one.
