BIG NAMES IN THIRD ROUND

The campaign for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections which saw the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc slug it out on issues like redistribution of wealth, Muslim appeasement, reservations and sexual harassment charges against a JD(S) leader, concluded on Sunday evening in 92 seats in over 11 states and Union Territories. The voting is on May 7.

The stakes are high for the BJP in this round as in 2019 the party won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

In this round, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra focused on issues of caste census and economic survey, social justice, unemployment, "injustice" to farmers and crony capitalism.

Over 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. Among the bigwigs are Union ministers Amit Shah (Gandhinagar), Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar),