2024 Lok Sabha Election Phase 1 Voting: 21 States Vote as India’s National Election Commences

The 2019 Lok Sabha Election took place alongside state assembly elections in some states. In Assam and Maharashtra, there were five Lok Sabha seats each, while Bihar had four seats, West Bengal had three, Manipur had two, and Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh had one seat each. Additionally, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh held state assembly elections alongside the general Lok Sabha election.

By 11 am, several states had recorded varying turnout percentages. Reports of sporadic violence had surfaced in some areas, including clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers in Cooch Behar, Bengal. Incidents such as gunfire at a polling station in Manipur and the death of two elderly individuals at separate polling booths in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, were also reported.

The ruling NDA targeted winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha Election, with the BJP aiming to secure 22 out of 25 seats in the northeast and make inroads in various regions across the country. The opposition, represented by the INDIA bloc, faced disarray but stood together following the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Both the ruling party and the opposition were engaged in intense electoral competition.

The elections saw the participation of prominent leaders, including Union ministers, former chief ministers, and other key figures. The BJP aimed to dominate various regions, while the Congress projected confidence in making a comeback in northern states and expressed optimism based on its performance in Telangana and Karnataka. Overall, the 2019 Lok Sabha Election was marked by significant electoral competition and strategic maneuvering by the political parties in various regions across the country.