Modi tweets urging youth to vote, Kejriwal does not see Rai as a contender.
The 9th and final phase of the Lok Sabha election is being held today. It is perhaps the most awaited and most watched phase of election as stars of the poll battle are in the fray today. A total of 18 seats are going to polls in Uttar Pradesh, 17 in West Bengal and six in Bihar.
On these 18 seats in UP, Samajwadi Party had clinched six seats from the region in last elections while BSP has five, BJP four and Congress has three seats. In West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress has 14 seats, while Congress, CPI and Independent have one each of the 17 seats going to poll. Of six seats in Bihar, BJP and the ruling Janata Dal (United) have two each, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Independent have one each.
In the mother of all battles, in Varanasi, Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is taking on Bhartiya Janata Party prime ministerial nominee and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. The third popular face in the ‘battle of Benaras’ is Congress’ Ajai Rai who is a ‘local’ supported by Mukhtar Ansari’s Quami Ekta Dal.
Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav’s second seat Azamgarh, besides his traditional bastion Mainpuri, is also voting today. Experts believe that unlike Mainpuri, Azamgarh may not be a cakewalk for him as he faces a tough fight from BSP’s Shah Alam alias Guddu Jamali, Rastriya Ulema Council Chief Aamir Rashadi Madani, and Mulayam’s former associate Ramakant Yadav, who is now fighting on a BJP ticket. While Mulayam is banking on his traditional Muslim-Yadav vote bank, division of Muslim votes by Madani and Guddu Jamali could benefit Ramakant.
Other prominent faces among those in the fray in today’s polling are Union Minister Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary (Behrampur- West Bengal), BJP leader Jagdambika Pal (Domariyaganj), Union Minister RPN Singh (Kushi Nagar- both UP) and former minister and RJD leader Raghuvanh Prasad Singh (Vaishali-Bihar).
The war of words has started with the beginning of voting since morning where candidates and other leaders of their party are claiming victory before results are announced on May 16.
Varanasi : Yes we will win,Modi ji is losing.Ajay Rai ji is not even in the contest-Arvind Kejriwal #Elections2014 pic.twitter.com/jpyxD3Ulzf
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 12, 2014
People of Varanasi will not choose a candidate who can’t even vote in Varanasi,who are like tenants-Ajay Rai,Congress pic.twitter.com/x6IO2NERGQ
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 12, 2014
Ppl voting in large numbers,TMC will be the third largest party in LS-Derek O’ Brien after casting his vote pic.twitter.com/kHdAwLEBgr
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 12, 2014
There is no contest,Netaji(Mulayam) is winning from here-Durga Prasad Yadav,SP in Azamgarh #Elections2014 pic.twitter.com/LoyJNhsvJP
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 12, 2014
Hindutva and development are our issues, I will win again(Gorakhpur). BJP will sweep poorvanchal-Yogi Adityanath,BJP pic.twitter.com/zyGrZbjBQs
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 12, 2014
Meanwhile, Modi tweeted:
Today is final phase of 2014 Polls. Urging all those voting in 41 seats across 3 states & Assembly by-polls in WB to vote in large numbers.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 12, 2014
My special request to the youth – go out & vote and take your family and friends along to the polling booth!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 12, 2014
The trend #NaMoWinsVaranasi has been trending on the micro-blogging site for past three days. What is the reality will be known only after the counting is done on May 16.
