Maharashtra Lok Sabha Election 2024: Voting for 5 seats in Phase 1; Check details here

In the first phase of the 2024 general elections, five Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, namely Chandrapur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Ramtek, and Nagpur, will go to polls on April 19.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), there are 97 candidates contesting in this phase, with their fate to be determined by 95,54,667 registered voters. This includes 48,28,142 males, 47,26,178 females, and 347 transgender persons. The ECI has set up a total of 10,652 polling stations, equipped with 21,527 ballot units, 13,963 control units, and 14,755 VVPAT machines.

In the first phase, 9,416 differently-abled voters and 6,630 senior citizens above 85 years are eligible to vote, with special arrangements made by the Election Commission for them. To ensure law and order, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) units have been stationed at sensitive polling centers. In the Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency, voting will occur from 7 AM to 3 PM.

Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament, after Uttar Pradesh. Known for its diverse political scene and significant influence on elections, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping the country's political landscape.

The state serves as a battleground for various political factions, including regional entities and national parties like the BJP, NCP, and Congress. In the 2019 elections, BJP and undivided Shiv Sena virtually swept the state by winning 43 of 48 seats. Congress won only 1 seat and NCP won 4.

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister from Maharashtra, is aiming for a third consecutive victory from the Nagpur seat. In 2014, he won over seven-time MP Vilas Muttemwar by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes. He retained the seat in 2019 by defeating the then Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole with a margin of 2.16 lakh votes.

In the Vidarbha region, Chandrapur has historically been the battleground for a direct electoral contest between the two major national parties. In the 2019 election, the Congress party managed to capture the seat from the BJP, which had held control since 2004. Suresh ‘Balu’ Dhanorkar emerged victorious, defeating the incumbent three-time MP Hansraj Gangaram Ahir.

However, this time, the BJP has nominated Sudhir Mungantiwar, a six-time MLA and State Minister from the micro-minority Vaishya community, as its candidate for the Lok Sabha seat.

Former bureaucrat turned politician Kishore Gajbhiye has entered the fray for the Ramtek seat with the support of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi led by Prakash Ambedkar.