Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla cast his vote at a polling booth in Darjeeling on Friday. After voting, Shringla displayed his inked finger at the polling booth.
Darjeeling has been a stronghold for the BJP since 2009, with the Trinamool Congress failing to win the seat from the principal opposition party in the state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, MP Raju Bista secured the constituency with 59.2 per cent of the total votes polled, defeating TMC’s Amar Singh Rai, who received only 26.6 per cent of the votes.
In 2014, BJP’s SS Ahluwalia, who is contesting this year from Asansol, won 42.8 per cent of the votes against 25.5 per cent secured by former footballer and TMC’s prominent candidate Bhaichung Bhutia.
Besides Darjeeling, voting is also underway in Balurghat and Raiganj in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections today. Voting for the remaining constituencies of West Bengal will be conducted on May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.
The Lok Sabha election is being conducted in seven phases until June 1, with votes set to be counted on June 4. The electorate comprises 8.08 crore male and 7.8 crore female voters, along with 5,929 third-gender electors, who will determine the fate of candidates. The first phase of voting for the seven-phased Lok Sabha election was held on April 19 in 102 constituencies across 21 states and UTs, with a voter turnout of over 62 per cent, according to the Election Commission. The third phase of the election will be held on May 7.