Polling Underway for Eight Lok Sabha Seats in Madhya Pradesh

Polling began in eight Madhya Pradesh constituencies in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections. The constituencies are considered strongholds of the BJP. A total of 74 candidates, including 69 men and five women, are contesting. Indore has the maximum candidates (14) and Khargone the least (five). Indore also has the highest number of voters (25,26,803), while Ujjain has the least (17,98,704). In Ratlam, Congress's Kantilal Bhuria faces BJP's Anita Chauhan. In Indore, the NOTA option has gained attention after Congress candidate withdrew and joined BJP, leading Congress to encourage voters to choose NOTA.

Polling began Monday morning for eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh in the fourth and last phase of general elections in the state, an official said.

Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm in Ratlam, Dhar, Khargone, Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Indore and Khandwa constituencies, the official said.

Polling for the fourth phase is being held across 18,007 polling stations in the eight constituencies.

A total of 74 candidates - 69 men and five women - are in the fray in the fourth phase. There are 1,63,70,654 eligible voters, including 82,48,091 men, 81,22,175 women and 388 third gender persons.

The eight constituencies, spread over 64 assembly segments in 15 districts in the state's Malwa-Nimar region, are considered the bastion of the BJP.

The Indore Lok Sabha seat has the maximum number of 14 candidates and Khargone has the least five nominees.

Out of the eight seats, Indore also has the highest number of eligible voters at 25,26,803, while Ujjain has the least number of 17,98,704 electors.

In Ratlam, there is a straight fight between former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria (73) of the Congress and state Forest Minister Nagar Singh Chauhan's wife Anita Chauhan, the BJP nominee.

In Indore, the 'None of the above (NOTA)' option has unexpectedly hogged the limelight after Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination at the last minute and joined the BJP.

As Bam's move set the stage for a one-sided contest for BJP's Shankar Lalwani, who won from Indore by nearly 5.4 lakh votes last time, the Congress urged voters to hit the NOTA button.

Of the total 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, polling was held in 21 in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7. Votes will be counted on June 4.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)