India’s Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Phase 4 Turned out Successful and Political Dynamics Unfold

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Six-Kilometer-long Roadshow in Varanasi

India’s general elections 2024 have seen a significant turnout in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, with 62.31% voter turnout recorded across the 96 constituencies. West Bengal recorded the highest turnout at 75.66%, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 68.04% and Madhya Pradesh at 68.01%. The lowest was recorded in Jammu and Kashmir at 35.75%. Voting percentages in other states participating in the fourth phase polling as of 3 p.m. are Bihar – 54.14%, Jharkhand – 63.14%, Maharashtra – 52.49%, Odisha – 62.96%, Telangana – 61.16%, and Uttar Pradesh – 56.35%. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a six-kilometer-long roadshow in Varanasi, where he is set to file his nomination papers on May 14.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s Claim

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in dictatorship and that the Opposition will teach him a lesson in the elections. He alleged that former CM Hemant Soren was put behind bars for not parting ways with the INDIA bloc. Polling for Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha elections began at 7 a.m. on May 13. Voting will end at 6 p.m. In this phase, 96 seats in 10 States and Union Territories are going to polls. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha will also go to polls in this round of voting. Voters in Andhra Pradesh will also vote to elect their representatives for the 175-member State Assembly.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Quote

The Congress claimed that the BJP’s graph is on a “relentless downward trajectory” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign is getting “more desperate.” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the BJP will be wiped out in southern States and its strength will reduce to half in other regions. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will again form the government and asserted even Lord Ram wants his “ardent devotee” to win. Union Minister Anurag Thakur described Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the “biggest liar in the country” and alleged the AAP national convener has deceived the people of the national capital and Punjab.

India’s Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya as he feared losing his “Bhendi Bazaar” vote bank. Voting in Varanasi will be held on June 1 in the seventh phase. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi won the seat with over 6,74,664 votes and commanded a vote share of 63.6%. In 2014, PM Modi contested two Lok Sabha seats – from Gujarat’s Vadodara and Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi. Pune City Congress chief Arvind Shinde claimed that someone already voted in his name at a polling booth in the Rasta Peth area of Pune city during the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls.

Over 54% polling recorded in five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar till 5 p.m .

Over 54% of around 95 lakh voters in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar exercised their franchise till 5 p.m. on May 13, officials said. Voting began at 7 a.m. in Begusarai, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Munger and Darbhanga constituencies in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections and will continue till 6 p.m. According to the Election Commission data, 56.36% of voters exercised their franchise in Samastipur, 54.93% in Ujiarpur, 54.28% in Darbhanga, 54.08% in Begusarai and 51.44% in Munger till 5 p.m.