Voting for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections spanning across 13 states concluded on Friday, with attention particularly focused on Kerala where polling occurred in all 20 constituencies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for record voter turnout stating the participation of young and female voters.
However, the day was not without its share of controversies, as over 290 complaints regarding Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions flooded the Election Commission's office in West Bengal. In response, the ruling Trinamool Congress urged immediate intervention, while Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar rebuked the party's concerns, citing previous court rulings affirming the integrity of EVMs.
Among the significant developments of the day, Kerala witnessed a showdown of political heavyweights. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contested to retain his Wayanad seat, while veteran Shashi Tharoor aimed for his fourth victory from Thiruvananthapuram, facing off against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP. Tharoor, expressing confidence in victory, described the elections as "far greater than my own future" after casting his vote.
However, the electoral landscape was not without its share of controversies and confrontations. In West Bengal, chaos erupted as 'go back' slogans were raised at state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar in Balurghat. The incident, attributed to alleged Trinamool Congress "hooligans," prompted police intervention. Earlier clashes between the BJP and Trinamool over voter influence in Balurghat and Raiganj underscored the tense atmosphere prevailing in the state.
Similar scenes unfolded in Mangalore, Karnataka, where a BJP worker objected to Congress candidate Padmaraj speaking to the media within 100 meters of a polling station, leading to police intervention.
Moreover, Uttar Pradesh witnessed electoral fervor centered around constituencies like Mathura and Meerut. BJP stalwart Hema Malini sought re-election from Mathura, while Arun Govil, renowned for portraying Lord Ram on television, made his electoral debut in Meerut. The region saw a shutdown of schools, colleges, factories, and industries to facilitate polling, with BJP's Ghaziabad candidate Atul Garg urging voters to exercise their democratic right responsibly.
In total, 1,210 candidates contested in this phase, with the BSP fielding the highest number at 74, followed closely by the BJP at 69 and the Congress at 68. In the 2019 elections, the NDA had secured victory in 65 of these seats, with the BJP and its allies clinching 53 and 12 seats respectively, while the INDIA bloc secured 23 seats.