Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 7: Voting on in 57 seats across 8 states, PM Modi, Kangana in fray. Exit polls at 6.30 pm

Fifty-seven seats across seven states and the Union territory of Chandigarh are voting in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday. All eyes are on Varanasi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term.

All 13 seats of Punjab and four in Himachal Pradesh, along with 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha, three in Jharkhand, and Chandigarh are seeing polling. 

Additionally, polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies of Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh are also happening simultaneously.

Abhishek Banerjee, Misa Bharti, Anurag Thakur and Kangana Ranaut in fray

Among the 904 contestants, notable candidates include Union minister Anurag Thakur, Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti, and actor Kangana Ranaut.

Over 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women, and 3,574 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this phase.

Saturday's voting will conclude the marathon polling process that began on April 19, covering 486 Lok Sabha seats in 28 states and Union territories. The assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim also went to polls. Vote counting will occur on June 4, with assembly poll counting in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on June 2.

Per Election Commission guidelines, television channels and news outlets can release exit poll data after 6:30 pm on June 1.

Polling parties have been dispatched to their respective stations, ensuring basic facilities such as ample shade, drinking water, ramps, and toilets at the 1.09 lakh polling stations. The commission has urged voters to turn out in greater numbers and vote responsibly. The turnout in the first six phases ranged from 62.2% to 69.16%.

Campaigning for this final phase ended Thursday evening, with BJP leaders, including Modi, accusing the Congress and the INDIA alliance of corruption, anti-Hindu sentiments, and dynastic politics. Meanwhile, opposition parties claim the BJP is anti-farmer, anti-youth, and would change the Constitution if victorious.

Modi is currently meditating in Kanyakumari at a site associated with Swami Vivekananda until June 1. Since March 16, he has participated in 206 public outreach programs.

Seats to watch out for in UP

In Uttar Pradesh, the parliamentary seats include Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, and Robertsganj (SC), spanning 11 districts. Uttar Pradesh sees a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc coalition of Samajwadi Party and Congress.

Union ministers Mahendra Nath Pandey, Pankaj Chaudhary, and Anupriya Patel are contesting from Chandauli, Maharajganj, and Mirzapur respectively. Afzal Ansari, brother of the late Mukhtar Ansari, is in the fray from Ghazipur, while former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar's son Neeraj Shekhar is contesting from Ballia.

In Varanasi, Modi faces Ajay Rai (Congress), Ather Jamal Lari (BSP), Kolisetty Shiva Kumar (Yuga Thulasi Party), Gagan Prakash Yadav (Apna Dal, Kameravadi), and independents Dinesh Kumar Yadav and Sanjay Kumar Tiwari.

Seats to watch out for in Bengal

In South Bengal, traditional TMC stronghold seats like Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar are in focus. TMC heavyweight Abhishek Banerjee is contesting from Diamond Harbour against CPI(M)'s Pratikur Rahaman and BJP's Abhijit Das.

Seats to watch out for in Punjab

In Punjab, prominent candidates include Preneet Kaur, Charanjit Singh Channi, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and Ravneet Singh Bittu. The BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal are contesting independently since 1996, while the Congress and AAP have their own candidates.

Seats to watch out for in Himachal Pradesh

In Himachal Pradesh, stakes are high for Kangana Ranaut and minister Vikramaditya Singh. Union Minister Anurag Thakur seeks a fifth term from Hamirpur, and Anand Sharma is the Congress candidate from Kangra.

In Bihar, Union minister RK Singh aims for a hat-trick from Arrah, while Ravi Shankar Prasad is seeking re-election from Patna Sahib. Misa Bharti contests again from Pataliputra against BJP's Ram Kripal Yadav. In Karakat, Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh is running as an Independent.