#Phase6: Voting underway in Delhi, six states; Kohli gets inked
What's the story
The penultimate phase of Lok Sabha polls, the sixth phase, is underway in several states. Voting is being held for 59 seats. The constituencies are spread across six states and one union territory, namely Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand. Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir have already cast their votes. Here's more.
Seats
BJP's former 'bastions' Gorakhpur and Phulpur went into polls
In the last parliamentary elections, BJP had won 45 of these 59 seats. Notably, polling is being held in two important seats in UP- Phulpur and Gorakhpur. Both these constituencies were seen as BJP's bastions. But last year the SP-BSP alliance defeated BJP in by-polls setting the stage for a united opposition. Naturally, BJP is hoping to regain the lost ground.
Key battles
Digvijaya Singh and Pragya Thakur are testing their fate today
In the sixth phase of polls, several political heavyweights are in the fray. Congress' Digvijaya Singh and BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur are locking horns for the prestigious Bhopal seat, which has voted for saffron since 1989. Pragya, a prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has cast her vote. In Azamgarh, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is contesting against BJP's Dinesh Lal Yadav "Nirahua".
Information
Taking a look at star candidates of key parties
BJP's Maneka Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Dilip Ghosh, Meenakshi Lekhi, and Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sheila Dikshit, Ajay Maken, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kirti Azad are also in the fray. Trinamool's Manas Bhunia is also testing his fate today.
Delhi
All eyes are on the national capital
Voters of the national capital, Delhi, will cast their votes. Delhi, which has seven Lok Sabha seats, is witnessing a three-cornered battle as BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Congress, have fielded their stalwarts. Over 60,000 security personnel have been deployed in Delhi to ensure the polling is seamless. Liquor shops have been closed across the capital.
Twitter Post
BJP's East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir cast his vote
BJP Candidate from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir casts his vote at a polling booth in Old Rajinder Nagar. He is up against AAP's Atishi and Congress's Arvinder Singh Lovely pic.twitter.com/uzQZdH7qzN
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
Clashes
Two BJP workers injured in clashes in Bengal
Polling in West Bengal was mired in violence, just like all previous phases. Clashes were reported from Kanthi Lok Sabha constituency's booth number 23 and 24. The violence reached a peak after gunshots were fired. BJP claimed two workers were injured. In Bankura Lok Sabha constituency's polling booth number 136, people lost cool after voting didn't begin at 7 AM due to EVM malfunctioning.
Twitter Post
Meanwhile, PM Modi urged youngsters to turn up
Yet another phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is here!
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 12, 2019
Urging all those whose constituencies are polling in today’s sixth phase to go out and vote. I hope youngsters are voting in record numbers. After all, their participation makes the polls even more special.