New Delhi: The last phase of a bitterly fought election which would decide whether the first majority government in a long time comes back to power would come to an end on Sunday even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a last minute push for Hindu consolidation by going to Kedarnath for meditation.
Polling would be held in 59 constituencies including in Varanasi where Mr Modi is seeking to retain the seat.
The 59 seats also include all 13 seats in Punjab, an equal number in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight seats each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, four in Himachal Pradesh, three in Jharkhand and the lone seat Chandigarh.
Around 10 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 918 candidates.
The results would be declared on May 23. The seven phse polls have been spread over 38 days.
Besides Mr Modi in Varanasi, 25 other candidates are in fray. The PM’s main challengers are Congress’s Ajay Rai and SP-BSP grand alliance’s nominee Shalini Yadav. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is contesting 11 Lok Sabha seats in this phase, while its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) is contesting Mirzapur, currently held by Union minister Anupriya Patel, and Robertsganj. Actor turned politician Sunny Deol, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann are among other prominent candidates contesting in Punjab.
Also going to polls are nine constituencies in West Bengal — Kolkata North and Kolkata South, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Jaynagar (SC) and Mathurapur (SC).
West Bengal has particularly seen prolonged political violence in these elections. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a meditation in a cave in Kedarnath possibly to give last minite push to Hindutva agenda.
On Saturday, Mr Modi had attended a press confernece along with BJP chief Amit Shah where he did not take any questions.
