At 42°C, poll campaigning ends on a scorching note
Campaigning for the first phase of the Lok Sabha election came to an end in five constituencies of Vidarbha on Wednesday, with party leaders canvassing in 42°C heat
Polling will be held in Ramtek, Nagpur, BhandaraGondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur and Chandrapur on April 19.
In Nagpur, a direct fight is on cards between Union minister and BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Congress’ Vikas Thakre.
In 2019, Gadkari had defeated the Congress’ Nana Patole by 2,16,000 votes. The constituency, which also houses the headquarters of the RSS, has 22,18,259 voters, including 11,10, 840 male, 11,07,197 female and 222 transgender ones.
In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is facing Congress nominee Pratibha
Dhanorkar, wife of late Suresh Dhanorkar who was the lone Congress MP elected to the Lok Sabha from Maharashtra in 2019 from the seat. The Congress MP died last year.
Chandrapur has 18,36,314 voters (9,45,026 male and 8,91,240 female).
In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Mendhe, who is pitted against Congress candidate Dr Prashant Patole.
In 2019, Mendhe had defeated the then undivided NCP’s Nana Panchbudhe by over 1,97,394 votes. Bhandara-Gondia has 18,75,106 voters (9,36,041 male, 9,39,056 female and 12 transgender).
Two-time BJP MP Ashok Nete is contesting against Congress nominee Dr Namdev Kirsan in Gadchiroli-Chimur. In 2019, Nete had defeated Congress candidate Dr Namdev Usendi. The constituency has 16,12,930 voters (8,11,836 male, 8,01,082 female and 12 transgender).
In Ramtek, the fight is between Shyamkumar Barve of the Congress and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena candidate Raju Parwe. In 2019, the undivided Shiv Sena candidate Krupal Tumane had defeated the Congress’ Kishore Uttamrao Gajbhiye here.
Ramtek has 20,45,717 voters (10,43,266 male, 10,02,396 female and 55 transgender).
In Nagpur, a direct fight is on the cards between Nitin Gadkari and Vikas Thakre