As polling began for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi requested voters to open ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ in every corner of the country to strengthen democracy and defeat hatred.
Polling began in 102 parliamentary seats across 21 states and Union Territories in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections today, April 19. The polling commenced at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
Overall, 1,625 candidates cutting across parties are in the fray in the first phase of elections. Top candidates in this phase include union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sarbanada Sonowal, and Bhupendra Yadav, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, DMK’s Kanimozhi, and BJP leader K Annamalai.
“Each of your votes is going to decide the future of Indian democracy and the coming generations,” Gandhi posted on X.
He added: “So come out and strengthen democracy by applying the balm of your vote to the wounds inflicted on the soul of the nation in the last 10 years. Defeat hatred and open the ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ in every corner,” he added.
The former Congress president also shared a graphic of the key Congress guarantees to the people including the right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP), and a nationwide caste census.
Also Read | Live updates on Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1 voting
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of violence have been reported in West Bengal, where polling is being held in three constituencies – Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar.
Voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases beginning today. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is seeking a third term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has set a target of winning 400 seats this election. The ruling alliance faces the opposition INDIA bloc led by the Congress.
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Published: 19 Apr 2024, 09:15 AM IST