Second phase of polling on April 26: BJP likely to face challenges

After the 102 Lok Sabha seats went to polls in the first phase on April 19, the second phase of polling on April 26, covering 89 parliamentary seats spread across 13 states and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is likely to pose challenges for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is seeking a third consecutive term in power.

- SIMONTINI BHATTACHARJEE

States going to polls in the second phase are:- Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (3), Karnataka (14), Madhya Pradesh (7), Uttar Pradesh (8), West Bengal (3), Maharashtra (8), Rajasthan (13), Manipur (1), Kerala (20), Tripura (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), and Assam (5).

From the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls onwards, the BJP faces significant challenges as it navigates into tougher regions where it is considered to be at a disadvantage.

In particular, the party faces backlash from farmers and is encountering resistance from the poor and Dalit communities.

This opposition stems from dissatisfaction with the party's stance on agricultural issues and economic policies affecting the underprivileged.

Meanwhile, experts feel that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's focus on policies and concerns directly impacting vulnerable groups are likely to find a strong resonance with voters who feel left out by the BJP's agenda.

Political analysts suggest that the BJP's gains in northern India from the last Lok Sabha polls of 2019 may be eroding, potentially jeopardizing the saffron party's chance for a record third term. Analysts see the emerging castebased alignment, such as the support from Rajputs and Jats against the BJP, as beneficial for the Congress.

Looking at the vote share in the three key Hindi-speaking states from recent assembly elections last year, the margins between the BJP and Congress are slim.

In Rajasthan, the BJP secured 41.7 per cent of the votes, compared to Congress's 39.6 per cent. In Chhattisgarh, the gap is slightly wider, with the BJP at 46.3 per cent and the Congress at 42.2 per cent.

The largest disparity is in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP garnered 48.6 per cent of the votes and Congress obtained 40 per cent, marking an 8 per cent difference.