In biggest phase, a fifth of Lok Sabha seats in play

BJP has the largest chunk of seats to defend out of the total number voting today. The saffron party had won more than half of these seats in the 2014 polls and its performance today will be key if it is to retain power at the Centre. Congress would be looking to make dents in BJP’s kitty, especially in a state like Gujarat, where BJP had swept all seats in 2014


Gandhinagar

Most confident debutant this election

Key contenders: Amit Shah (BJP), CJ Chavda (Cong)

2014 LS: LK Advani, BJP (68% vote share), beat KI Patel, Cong (25.5%), by 4.8 lakh votes

This prestigious seat — held by party stalwarts AB Vajpayee and LK Advani — has been a BJP bastion. The party has not lost this seat for the past three decades, since 1989. OBCs (29%) and Patidars (17%) form the largest grouping among the 19.2 lakh electorate. The biggest advantage that BJP president and Gandhinagar candidate Amit Shah, 54, has is that he knows the constituency like the back of his hand. From a booth manager, he has risen to oversee campaigns for Advani, who won Gandhinagar six times, five of the victories coming on the trot. Congress has pitted a former government employee, CJ Chavda, against Shah. The talk here is only about whether debutant Shah’s victory margin will set a new record.

Mainpuri

Mulayam

seeks ‘last hurrah’

Key contenders: Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Prem Singh Shakya (BJP)

2014 Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP (59.6%), beat SS Chauhan, BJP (23.1%), by 3.6 lakh votes

Mainpuri has been loyal to Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav for many decades. He became an MLA for the first time from Jaswantnagar seat of the constituency in 1952 and made his Lok Sabha debut from here in 1996. Since then, he or his representatives have been winning the seat. In 2014, he won from both Azamgarh and Mainpuri and retained Azamgarh. His grandnephew Tej Pratap Singh Yadav won Mainpuri in the bypoll to become the sixth MP from the Yadav family. However, Netaji is now back in the fray from his borough. Now that the 79-year-old veteran has announced this would be his last election, all other factors — caste, rival candidates, etc — take a back seat.

Wayanad

Home away from home for Cong prez?

Key contenders: Rahul Gandhi (Cong), PP Suneer (CPI), Tushar Vellappally (BDJS; NDA ally)

2014 MI Shanavas, Cong (41.2%), beat S Mokeri, CPI (38.9%), by 20,870 votes

Rahul Gandhi’s entry has upped the stakes in this seat and the Congress chief is likely to have a smooth run, especially with all-out support from the Muslim League and unconditional backing from other Muslim outfits. CPI leader PP Suneer hasn’t compromised on his aggressive campaign and the LDF has held two roadshows here, the second led by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury to show the fight will not be a cakewalk for 48-year-old Rahul. NDA partner Bharath Dharma Jana Sena has fielded its president Thushar Vellappally here, and hopes to win a decent share of votes as the Ezhava community has a considerable presence. Rahul’s candidature has helped bring several key issues in Wayanad, like the crisis in agrarian and plantation sectors and tourism industry, to the fore.