Lok Sabha Election 2024 Kicks Off Tomorrow with Phase 1: Key Constituencies and Candidates in Focus; Here’s All You Need to Know

The much-anticipated 2024 Lok Sabha election in India is set to kick off tomorrow, April 19, marking the commencement of the electoral process that will unfold over seven phases, with the final results slated for declaration on June 4. The first phase will cover 21 states and union territories, encompassing over 1.2 million polling stations, and involving nearly 970 million eligible voters.

The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 will witness polling in 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories. The states and union territories going to polling on April 19 are as follows:
1. Arunachal Pradesh: All 2 Lok Sabha constituencies
• Arunachal West
• Arunachal East

2. Assam: 5 (of 14) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Kaziranga
• Sonitpur
• Lakhimpur
• Dibrugarh
• Jorhat

3. Bihar: 4 (of 4) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Aurangabad
• Gaya
• Nawada
• Jamui

4. Chhattisgarh: 1 (of 11) Lok Sabha constituency
• Bastar

5. Madhya Pradesh: 6 (of 29) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Sidhi
• Shahdol ST
• Jabalpur
• Mandla ST
• Balaghat
• Chhindwara

6. Maharashtra: 5 (of 48) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Ramtek
• Nagpur
• Bhandara - Gondiya
• Gadchiroli - Chimur
• Chandrapur

7. Manipur: All 2 Lok Sabha constituencies
• Inner Manipur
• Outer Manipur

8. Meghalaya: All 2 Lok Sabha constituencies
• Shillong
• Tura

9. Mizoram: 1 Lok Sabha constituency
• Mizoram

10. Nagaland: 1 Lok Sabha constituency
• Nagaland

11. Rajasthan: 12 (of 25) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Ganganagar
• Bikaner
• Churu
• Jhunjhunu
• Sikar
• Jaipur Rural
• Jaipur
• Alwar
• Bharatpur
• Karauli-Dholpur
• Dausa
• Nagaur

12. Sikkim: 1 Lok Sabha constituency
• Sikkim

13. Tamil Nadu: All 39 Lok Sabha constituencies
• Tiruvallur
• Chennai North
• Chennai South
• Chennai Central
• Sriperumbudur
• Kancheepuram
• Arakkonam
• Vellore
• Krishnagiri
• Dharmapuri
• Tiruvannamalai
• Arani
• Viluppuram
• Kallakurichi
• Salem
• Namakkal
• Erode
• Tiruppur
• Nilgiris
• Coimbatore
• Pollachi
• Dindigul
• Karur
• Tiruchirappalli
• Perambalur
• Cuddalore
• Chidambaram
• Mayiladuthurai
• Nagapattinam
• Thanjavur
• Sivaganga
• Madurai
• Theni
• Virudhunagar
• Ramanathapuram
• Thoothukkudi
• Tenkasi
• Tirunelveli
• Kanniyakumari

14. Tripura: 1 (of 2) Lok Sabha constituency
• Tripura West

15. Uttar Pradesh: 8 (of 80) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Saharanpur
• Kairana
• Muzaffarnagar
• Bijnor
• Nagina
• Moradabad
• Rampur
• Pilibhit

16. Uttarakhand: All 5 Lok Sabha constituencies
• Tehri Garhwal
• Garhwal
• Almora
• Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar
• Hardwar

17. West Bengal: 3 (of 42) Lok Sabha constituencies
• Coochbehar
• Alipurduars
• Jalpaiguri

18. Andaman And Nicobar: 1 Lok Sabha constituency
• Andaman and Nicobar islands

19. Jammu and Kashmir: 1 (of 5) Lok Sabha constituency
• Udhampur

20. Lakshadweep: 1 Lok Sabha constituency
• Lakshadweep

21. Puducherry: 1 Lok Sabha constituency
• Puducherry

Phase 1 of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls features several high-profile constituencies across various states. In Uttar Pradesh, notable constituencies include Saharanpur, Rampur, Pilibhit, and Muzzafarnagar. Maharashtra presents key contests in Ramtek (SC), Nagpur, and Chandrapur. Assam's crucial constituencies are Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, and Jorhat, while Chhattisgarh focuses on Bastar. Bihar showcases significant battles in Jamui and Gaya. Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, and Tamil Nadu's Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Coimbatore, Thoothukkudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari constituencies are also in the spotlight. Rajasthan highlights Bikaner, Sikar, Churu, Nagaur, Alwar, and Jaipur. Lastly, West Bengal brings attention to Cooch Behar, Alipurduars, and Jalpaiguri.

Key Candidates in the Fray:
Nitin Gadkari (Maharashtra): The incumbent Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari is seeking re-election from Nagpur, aiming for a third consecutive victory, facing competition from prominent rivals in the region.

Jitendra Singh (Udhampur-Jammu and Kashmir): With two successful terms as MP and holding several ministerial portfolios, Jitendra Singh prepares for another electoral showdown. Having defeated prominent opponents like Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2014 and 2019, Singh faces Congress's Chaudhary Lal Singh.

Karti Chidambaram (Karnataka): K Chidambaram contends for re-election from Sivaganga, continuing the legacy of his father in a closely watched contest against opponents from rival parties.

Tamilisai Soundararajan (Tamil Nadu): The former Telangana governor resigned and returned to active politics as the BJP's candidate for Chennai South, adding a new dimension to the electoral landscape in Tamil Nadu.

Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal West constituency-Arunachal Pradesh): A three-time MP and Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Kiren Rijiju seeks re-election from Arunachal West. Rijiju's opponent, Nabam Tuki, former Chief Minister and current Arunachal Pradesh Congress President, challenges him in a region where Rijiju has secured victories in both 2014 and 2019.

Jitin Prasada (Uttar Pradesh): Pilibhit constituency witnesses a significant electoral battle as Jitin Prasada, once a Congress loyalist now representing the BJP, vies for victory against contenders from other major parties.

K Annamalai (Tamil Nadu): In Coimbatore, BJP state president K Annamalai seeks to make an impact against formidable adversaries, marking a pivotal moment in the electoral dynamics of Tamil Nadu.

Nakul Nath (Madhya Pradesh): Nakul Nath, son of former CM Kamal Nath, aims for re-election from Chhindwara, symbolizing the ongoing political legacy amidst a changing electoral landscape.

Dayanidhi Maran (Tamil Nadu): Chennai Central becomes a battleground as Dayanidhi Maran of the DMK defends his seat against challenges posed by the BJP, highlighting the fierce competition in the state.

Gaurav Gogoi (Jorhat-Assam): In Jorhat, Assam, a significant electoral duel unfolds between JP's Topon Kumar Gogoi and Congress's Gaurav Gogoi. As Congress's deputy leader in Lok Sabha and a two-time Lok Sabha winner since 2014, Gaurav Gogoi shifts from Kaliabor to Jorhat due to the 2019 delimitation exercise.

Imran Masood (Uttar Pradesh): The contest in Saharanpur intensifies with Imran Masood entering the fray, representing the Congress-SP alliance, amidst strong opposition from other major contenders.

The 2024 general elections are set to unfold over 7 phases spanning 46 days, with results expected on June 4. Approximately 96.8 crore voters are anticipated to participate in this electoral process. Beginning on April 19, the elections will progress through subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 3, May 20, May 25, and concluding on June 1. States like Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh will witness polling across all 7 phases, while Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir will have elections conducted in 5 phases. Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand will see polling in four phases, and Chhattisgarh and Assam in three. Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tripura, and Manipur will undergo polling in two phases, while all other states and Union Territories will have single-phase elections.​