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On April 26, 2024, voters in 13 states across India will participate in the second phase of the general elections, casting their ballots in 89 Lok Sabha constituencies. This is the phase in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made an extraordinary performance in the 2019 general elections with 52 seats across the states.
Will the center-ruling party be able to repeat its success this time as well?
The second phase phase of polling encompasses a diverse range of states, including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir.
During the second phase of the 2019 general elections, the BJP secured significant gains, vastly outperforming the Congress party. The center-ruling party clinched a total of 52 seats across various states while the Indian National Congress got only 18 seats.
|
State/UT |
No. of seats |
Constituency |
|
Assam |
5 |
Karimganj, Silchar, Mangaldoi, Nawgong, Kaliabor |
|
Bihar |
5 |
Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Banka |
|
Chhattisgarh |
3 |
Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, Kanker |
|
J&K |
1 |
Jammu |
|
Karnataka |
14 |
Udupi Chikamagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikballapur, Kolar |
|
Kerala |
20 |
Kasaragod, Kannur, Vatakara, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ponnani, Palakkad, Alathur, Thrissur, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Mavelikkara, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram |
|
Madhya Pradesh |
7 |
Tikamgarh, Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa, Hoshangabad, Betul |
|
Maharashtra |
8 |
Buldhana, Akola, Amravati (SC), Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani |
|
Manipur |
1 |
Outer Manipur |
|
Rajasthan |
13 |
Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota, Jhalawar-Baran |
|
Tripura |
1 |
Tripura East |
|
Uttar Pradesh |
8 |
Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, Bulandshahr |
|
West Bengal |
3 |
Darjeeling, Raiganj, Balurghat |
Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections was held for 102 seats spread across 21 states and Union Territories on April 19. The aggregate voter turnout was 62.37 per cent against 69.43% in 2019, with the highest percentage in Tripura at 80.17 per cent.
Let us delve into contests and data of the 2019 general elections second phase that make the upcoming phase of the general elections interesting.
Key Electoral Showdowns
In this phase of general elections, several high-profile constituencies are up for grabs. Mathura, where veteran actress Hema Malini seeks her third victory, and Meerut, where the BJP has nominated famous tele series Ramayan actor Arun Govil, are among these notable seats.
Purnia in Bihar has also become a focal point, with Pappu Yadav entering the electoral arena as an independent candidate. He faces off against sitting JD(U) MP Santosh Kumar Kushwaha.
In the southern region, the Wayanad seat in Kerala promises a tripartite battle featuring Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, CPI's Annie Raja, and BJP Kerala president K Surendran.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram is gearing up for another intense triangular contest, with incumbent MP Dr Shashi Tharoor facing challenges from Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI stalwart Pannyan Raveendran.
Analyzing the Second Phase of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections
The second phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was marked by intense competition and some surprising outcomes. The polls witnessed significant shifts in political dynamics across various states and Union Territories. Several key trends emerged, reflecting the diverse socio-political landscape of the country.
Seat Distribution and Party Performance
The results of the second phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls revealed a mixed bag of outcomes for different political parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the dominant force, securing 52 seats, consolidating its position in states like Bihar, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. Other notable winners included the Indian National Congress (INC) with 18 seats, Shiv Sena with 4 seats, and smaller regional parties such as the Janata Dal (United), securing 4 seats. In the runners-up category, the INC led with 43 seats, followed by the BJP with 5 seats, highlighting the fierce electoral contest witnessed in various constituencies.
Margin of Victory
The 2019 Lok Sabha elections witnessed some of the closest contests in Indian electoral history, with several seats decided by razor-thin margins. Notably, instances where the winning candidate secured victory by just one vote underscored the significance of each ballot cast. These instances included the 2008 Rajasthan Assembly Karnataka Assembly Poll in Santhemarahalli (SC).
|
Election Type |
Constituency |
Winning Party |
Votes Obtained |
Runner-up Party |
Votes Obtained |
Margin |
|
Rajasthan Assembly |
Nathdwara (176) |
BJP |
62216 |
INC |
62215 |
1 |
|
Madhya Pradesh Assembly |
Dhar (201) |
BJP |
50510 |
INC |
50509 |
1 |
|
Karnataka Assembly |
Santhemarahalli (119) |
INC |
40752 |
JD(S) |
40751 |
1 |
BJP's Electoral Dominance
The BJP's impressive performance in the second phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections underscored its growing electoral dominance across various states and Union Territories. With victories in states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, where the party secured over 50% of the votes in numerous constituencies, the BJP showcased its widespread appeal among voters. The party garnered more than 50% of the votes in 224 seats across various states.
|
State/UT |
Seats BJP got 50%+ Votes |
|
Arunachal Pradesh |
2 |
|
Assam |
7 |
|
Bihar |
14 |
|
Goa |
1 |
|
Gujarat |
26 (All) |
|
Haryana |
9 |
|
Himachal Pradesh |
4 |
|
Jammu Kashmir |
2 |
|
Karnataka |
22 |
|
Madhya Pradesh |
25 |
|
Maharashtra |
15 |
|
Punjab |
1 |
|
Rajasthan |
23 |
|
Tripura |
1 |
|
Uttar Pradesh |
40 |
|
West Bengal |
5 |
|
Chattisgarh |
6 |
|
Jharkhand |
8 |
|
Uttrakhand |
5 |
|
Chandigarh |
1 |
|
NCT Delhi |
7 |
| Total | 224 |
Congress’s Struggle
The Congress party faced a tough challenge, failing to secure any seats in thirteen states and union territories in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This list includes Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat, among others. The party also did not have any Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in five states.
|
State |
Congress MLAs |
Total Assembly Seats |
|
Andhra Pradesh |
0 |
175 |
|
West Bengal |
0 |
294 |
|
NCT Of Delhi |
0 |
70 |
|
Sikkim |
0 |
32 |
|
Nagaland |
0 |
60 |
The Battle Between INC and BJP
In a head-to-head comparison between the INC and BJP, the latter maintained a strong lead with 175 wins out of 190 seats in the 2019 elections, while the INC managed to win only 15 seats. This was a slight improvement for the INC from the 2014 elections, where they won 23 seats out of 189.
|
State/UT |
Congress Seats in 2014 LS Polls |
Congress Seats in 2019 LS Polls |
|
Andhra Pradesh |
0 |
0 |
|
Chandigarh |
0 |
0 |
|
Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
0 |
0 |
|
Daman and Diu |
0 |
0 |
|
Delhi |
0 |
0 |
|
Gujarat |
0 |
0 |
|
Himachal Pradesh |
0 |
0 |
|
Jammu and Kashmir |
0 |
0 |
|
Nagaland |
0 |
0 |
|
Rajasthan |
0 |
0 |
|
Sikkim |
0 |
0 |
|
Tripura |
0 |
0 |
|
Uttarakhand |
0 |
0 |
Voter Turnout
Dhubri – The Constituency with the Highest Voter Turnout
Dhubri Lok Sabha seat in Assam stood out for its remarkable voter turnout in both the 2014 and 2019 elections, with 88.36% and 90.66%, respectively.
The second phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was characterized by intense political competition, narrow margins of victory, and significant shifts in electoral dynamics. With the voters’ turnout remaining high, the BJP consolidated its position as the leading political force. While the Congress party faced challenges in several states.