In the upcoming second phase of the Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April 26, eight constituencies will go to the polls: Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal – Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani. The first phase of the elections took place on April 19 in Ramtek, Nagpur, Bhandara – Gondiya, Gadchiroli – Chimur, and Chandrapur constituencies.
Among the constituencies in the second phase, Nanded and Amravati will be closely contested. Nanded has traditionally been a stronghold of the Congress party, but with veteran leader Ashok Chavan, who previously represented the seat twice, now aligned with the BJP, the saffron party is hoping to make gains in the constituency. The BJP has nominated incumbent MP Pratap Patil Chikhalikar to contest against Vasant Chavan of the INDIA bloc. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), led by Prakash Ambedkar, has also entered the fray, fielding Avinash Bhosikar, a move that could potentially split anti-BJP votes and benefit the saffron party.
Amravati will also be a key battleground, with the BJP and the Congress fielding strong candidates against each other. The BJP has nominated former state minister Pravin Pote, while the Congress has fielded sitting MP Navneet Rana. The VBA has also fielded a candidate in Amravati, Rajendra Deshmukh.
The second phase of the Maharashtra Lok Sabha elections is expected to witness a high turnout, as voters in the eight constituencies exercise their democratic right to choose their representatives in the Indian Parliament.
