17 April,2024 06:22 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File/iStock
The campaigning for Lok Sabha elections 2024 came to an end in five constituencies of eastern Maharashtra on Wednesday evening, reported the PTI.
The polling will be held in the constituencies of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra including Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli in the first phase of elections on April 19.
In Nagpur, a direct fight is on cards between Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and Congress' Vikas Thakre.
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In 2019, Nitin Gadkari had defeated Congress' Nana Patole by 2,16,000 votes.
The constituency, which also houses the headquarters of the RSS, has a total of 22,18,259 voters including 11,10, 840 male voters, 11,07,197 female and 222 transgender ones, according to the PTI.
In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Maharashtra 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 had passed away last year.
Maharashtra's Chandrapur has a total of 18,36,314 voters (9,45,026 male and 8,91,240 female), as per the PTI.
In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Mendhe, who is pitted against Congress candidate Dr Prashant Patole.
In 2019, Sunil Mendhe had defeated the then undivided NCP's Nana Panchbudhe by over 1,97, 394 votes, the news agency reported.
Bhandara-Gondia has a total of 18,75,106 voters (9,36,041 male, 9,39,056 female and 12 transgender).
Two-time MP of BJP, Ashok Nete, is contesting against Congress nominee Dr Namdev Kirsan in Gadchiroli-Chimur. In the 2019 elections, 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 Barwe of Congress and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's candidate Raju Parwe. In 2019, the undivided Shiv Sena candidate Krupal Tumane had defeated Congress' Kishore Uttamrao Gajbhiye.
Ramtek constituency has a total of 20,45,717 voters (10,43,266 male, 10,02,396 female and 55 transgender), the news agency reported on Wednesday.
Elections in Maharashtra will be held in five phases. The Polls will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.
(with PTI inputs)
