Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2: ‘I am fully confident’ says Congress MP Shashi Tharoor after casting vote

Congress MP and Thiruvananthapuram candidate, Shashi Tharoor, joined the queue outside a polling booth in his constituency, patiently awaiting his turn to vote. Seeking his fourth consecutive term, Tharoor faces a tough competition against Union Minister of State, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Panniyan Ravindran.

Congress MP and candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor says, “I am fully confident because I have seen harmony from one end of the constituency to the other… People have given me the same enthusiasm, support and goodwill in the three elections that I am going to get. I am confident that I will emerge as the winner.”

Having held the seat since 2009, Tharoor encounters a formidable challenge with the BJP nominating Chandrashekhar, who has served as the MoS for electronics, Entrepreneurship, and Information Technology. Despite this, Tharoor exuded confidence in returning to parliament, stating, “Elections are decided by the people… The trust they have placed in me three times in a row, they are prepared to place in me once more… We’re getting the indication that the BJP is in for a very rude shock.”

The second phase of polls covers 88 Lok Sabha constituencies across 13 States/Union Territory, including 20 in Kerala, 13 in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, six in Madhya Pradesh, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one each in Tripura, Manipur, and Jammu & Kashmir. With weather conditions expected to be normal, meticulous arrangements have been made at all polling stations to ensure voters’ comfort.

Over 15.88 crore voters, including 8.08 crore male electors, 7.8 crore female electors, and 5929 third-gender electors, are expected to participate in the second phase. The Election Commission has deployed numerous surveillance teams across the 1.67 lakh polling stations to monitor and swiftly address any attempts to influence voters.