Mumbai, April 10 (IANS) The first phase of elections in Maharashtra for 10 Lok Sabha seats got underway here Thursday morning with early voters queuing up outside polling stations, officials said.
A total of 201 candidates, including 90 independents, are in the fray and they are vying for attention of around 1.22 crore voters spread in Vidarbha region.
There a total of eight general category constituencies, while one is reserved for Scheduled Tribes and one for Scheduled Castes.
The maximum number of 33 candidates are contesting from Nagpur, while seven - the lowest - are in the fray in Akola.
Out of 201 candidates, there are only 15 women candidates, including two from prominent parties like Nationalist Congress Party and Aam Aadmi Party.
Among the political parties, the maximum number of seats are being contested by Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party with 10, followed by the Congress seven and Bharatiya Janata Party six candidates.
Shiv Sena has put up four candidates, NCP has three and CPI has one candidate.
In terms of electorate, the Nagpur constituency with 1.62 million voters is the largest while Bhandara-Gondia with a little over one million voters is the smallest.
The Election Commission has deployed 10 general observers, and 10 election expenditure observers to monitor the first phase of elections.
The 10 constituencies that went to polls Thursday are Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Bhandara-Gondiya, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Nagpur, Ramtek, Wardha and Yavatmal-Washim.
Prominent candidates whose fate will be sealed in EVMs include union Minister Praful Patel (NCP), Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar, BJP ex-president Nitin Gadkari, AAP state leader Anjali Damania, former minister and AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, state Congress ministers Shivajirao Moghe and Sanjay Deotale.
Then, there are Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar (BRP) - the grandson of B. R. Ambedkar, former model-actress Navneet Kaur Rana (NCP), realtor Gunvant Devpare (BSP) and independent candidate Balasaheb Darade, a former NASA consultant who is supported by Anna Hazare.
Tripura CM flays BJP remark on 'Immigrants'
Agartala, Feb 4 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Wednesday attacked the BJP for describing people from the northeast living in Delhi as "immigrants" -- a folly the BJP later
These big rules will change in IPL 2022, changes will be seen from Playing XI to Super Over
The 15th season of the Indian Premier League is going to start this month. In the new season, some new rules have to be implemented in the tournament. In this IPL starting from March 26, every team
How far the discovery of corona virus vaccine has reached in India?
New Delhi: In search of the corona vaccine in India, scientists and institutions are doing research day and night. The government is trying its best to have a vaccine as soon as possible. Every Indian
Delhi to host northeast festival of song, dance
New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) The national capital will host a day-long festival on April 11 to promote the culture and cuisine of the northeast, organisers said on Tuesday.An initiative by the
PAK's entry in the Russia-Ukraine war: Pakistan sending dangerous artillery shells to Ukraine; How will geo politics change, how much will it affect India
This picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is from 24 February 2022. Imran Khan was on a tour of Russia then. Within hours of his arrival in
IND vs ENG: Team India will play the fifth test against England in Dharamshala, know-how is the record here
The last match of the ongoing five-match Test series between India and England will be played in Dharamshala (March 7). The Indian team has achieved an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series by winning
1st August New Rule: These changes will happen from August 1, know what effect it is going to have on your daily routine?
The month of July is about to pass. August is coming. With the new month, there are going to be changed in many rules. The prices of LPG cylinders (LPG) are fixed on the first of every month. In such
Himachal CM presents supplementary demands
Shimla, March 11 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday presented supplementary demands of Rs.7,753.60 crore for this fiscal on the first day of the budget session that
Parliament Security: Flags bought from Sadar Bazaar...canes were distributed at India Gate, police are connecting such links of crime
The Special Branch of Delhi Police took the accused in the Parliament security breach case and interrogated them at the places where they had gathered and from where they had purchased flags and other
Rajnath said - If the full truth of the India-China clash on LOC comes out, then every Indian's chest will swell with pride
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh's statement has come to the fore regarding the confrontation between the soldiers of India and China on the LoC. The Defense Minister said that he could not elaborate