As polling day began in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was among the first to cast his vote in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Jaishankar expressed his confidence that Delhi voters would support the Modi government and the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).
Early Voter and First Male Voter
After casting his vote, Jaishankar highlighted that he was the first male voter at his designated polling booth. “We have just cast our vote, and I was the first male voter in this booth. We want people to come out and cast their votes as this is a decisive moment for the country,” he said. He stressed his belief that Delhi voters would once again back the Modi government and its development agenda.
BJP’s Southern Strategy and Opposition Challenges
In an interview with ANI on Friday, Jaishankar predicted that the BJP would make significant gains in southern states while strengthening its position in the north. Dismissing opposition claims that the BJP would face a rout in the south and a reduced presence in the north, Jaishankar confidently stated that the Modi government would return with an even bigger majority. “For us, it would be ‘dakshin mein double’ (twice in the south), and for the Opposition, ‘uttar mein even more trouble,'” he remarked.
Ambitious Goals and Strategic Planning
Regarding the BJP’s ambitious ‘400 paar’ slogan, Jaishankar acknowledged the target’s ambitious nature but emphasized the strategic planning behind it. He explained that BJP leaders were instructed to focus on constituencies the party hadn’t won in 2019 and to identify necessary changes to secure those seats. “This is the BJP you are talking about. There is a kind of process, an exercise out of which an outcome is produced,” he said, highlighting the party’s systematic approach to winning more seats.
Phase Six Voting Details
Voting for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections began early this morning across 58 parliamentary constituencies in six states and two Union Territories. The polling, which started at 7 am, will continue until 6 pm, with provisions for those in line by the closing time to vote.
This phase includes eight seats in Bihar, all 10 seats in Haryana, one seat in Jammu and Kashmir, four in Jharkhand, all seven seats in Delhi, six in Odisha, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, and eight in West Bengal. A total of 889 candidates are contesting in this phase.
Key Constituencies and High Stakes
Key seats in this phase include New Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, and Chandni Chowk in the national capital, as well as Sultanpur and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Other significant constituencies include Anantnag-Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, Tamluk and Medinipur in West Bengal, Karnal and Kurukshetra in Haryana, and Bhubaneswar and Puri in Odisha.
The stakes are high for the BJP, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and other constituents of the INDIA bloc in this crucial phase of the election.
