71 vs 4: In Phase 3 seats that vote today, BJP was miles ahead of Congress

In 2019, the parties that now constitute the Opposition INDIA bloc and the ruling NDA had won 8 and 75 of these seats, with the 10 remaining seats split between the undivided Shiv Sena (4), the undivided NCP (3), the Bajruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF (1) and two Independents. In terms of vote share, the NDA had got 51.8% of the votes compared to the INDIA bloc’s 31.9% (excluding the votes of the Shiv Sena and NCP, both of which were united at the time).

The BJP alone had won 71 of these 93 seats, with the Congress far behind at 4.

In 2014, the NDA had won 68 of these seats and the INDIA bloc parties 15, with 11 going to other parties.

Map view of Phase 3 seats’ results in 2019.

The candidates

There will be a total 1,332 candidates in the fray on Tuesday. The BJP has fielded the most candidates in this phase at 82, followed by the BSP at 79 and the Congress at 68. With 25 seats in Gujarat going to polls, the state has the most candidates contesting at 266, followed by Maharashtra (11 seats) at 258 and Karnataka (14 seats) at 227.

Candidate breakdown.

Of the 241 candidates with criminal cases, Maharashtra has the most such candidates at 67, followed by Karnataka at 37 and Gujarat at 36. In Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Goa, a quarter of the candidates are facing criminal cases. Among the major parties, the Congress has the most candidates with criminal cases, at 26 or 38% of all its candidates in the third phase, followed by the BJP at 22 or 27%. There are also 103 Independents with criminal cases.

PARTY-WISE CANDIDATES WITH CRIMINAL CASES

Congress: 26 (38% of all party candidates)

BJP: 22 candidates (27%)

BSP: 7 (9%)

Karnataka Rashtra Samithi: 6 (43%)

SP: 5 (50%)

Of the 387 crorepati candidates, Maharashtra has the most at 71, followed by Karnataka at 69 and Gujarat at 68. As a share of all candidates, however, 46 crorepatis in 10 seats in UP account for 46% of all its candidates in the third phase. Among the parties, the BJP has the most crorepati candidates at 77 or 94% of its candidates, followed by the Congress at 60 or 88% of its candidates. The two richest candidates in the third phase are both from the BJP. At least three Independents and one minor party’s candidate have declared zero assets in this phase.

RICHEST CANDIDATES

Pallavi Shrinivas Dempo (BJP), contesting from South Goa | Assets: Rs 1,361 crore

Jyotiraditya Scindia (BJP), contesting from Guna, Madhya Pradesh | Assets: Rs 424 crore

Chhatrapati Shahu Shahaji (Congress), contesting from Kolhapur, Maharashtra | Assets: Rs 342 crore

With a total 121 women candidates in Phase 3, the total number of women contestants across the first three phases is 356. At 14, the Congress has the most women candidates in the third phase, followed by the BJP at 13 and the BSP at 7. Chhattisgarh has the most women candidates at 27, followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra at 21 each. Bardoli in Gujarat and Janjgir-Champa in Chhattisgarh have the highest share of women candidates at 33% among the seats in this phase.

In 2014, 12 women won from the Phase 3 seats and in 2019, 14 women won.

YOUNGEST AND OLDEST

Youngest: 10 candidates aged 25, including 6 Independents and 4 from minor parties

Oldest: Abdul Rashid, an 84-year-old Independent contesting from Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh

The key battlegrounds in Phase 3

GUJARAT

Total seats: 26 (Surat seat won by the BJP unopposed)

Total electors: 4.95 crore

First-time voters: 12.2 lakh

Gujarat Lok Sabha polls.

ASSAM

Total seats: 14 (4 in Phase 3)

Total electors: 2.44 crore

Assam Lok Sabha polls.

CHHATTISGARH

Total seats: 11 (7 in Phase 3)

Total electors: 2.05 crore

First-time voters: 18.7 lakh

Chattisgarh Lok Sabha polls.

KARNATAKA

Total seats: 28 (14 in Phase 3)

Total electors: 5.38 crore

First-time voters: 11.7 lakh

Karnataka Lok Sabha polls.

OTHER STATES AND UTs GOING TO POLLS

Maharashtra: 11 seats (Baramati, Hatkanangle, Kolhapur, Latur, Madha, Osmanabad, Raigad, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Sangli, Satara, Solapur)

Uttar Pradesh: 10 seats (Agra, Aonla, Badaun, Bareilly, Etah, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Hathras, Mainpuri, Sambhal)

Madhya Pradesh: 9 seats (Betul, Bhind, Bhopal, Guna, Gwalior, Morena, Rajgarh, Sagar, Vidisha)

Bihar: 5 seats (Araria, Jhanjharpur, Khagaria, Madhepura, Supaul)

West Bengal: 4 seats (Jangipur, Maldaha Dakshin, Maldaha Uttar, Murshidabad)

Goa: 2 seats (North and South Goa)

Dadra and Nagar Haveli: 1 seat

Daman and Diu: 1 seat

5 CONTESTS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Gandhinagar, Gujarat: Union Home Minister and sitting MP Amit Shah (BJP) vs AICC secretary Sonal Patel (Congress) | 2019 winner: BJP

Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh: Former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan (BJP) vs former MP Pratap Bhanu Sharma (Congress) | 2019 winner: BJP

Guna, Madhya Pradesh: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia (BJP) vs former MLA Yadvendra Rao Deshraj Singh (Congress) | 2019 winner: BJP

Baramati, Maharashtra: Sitting MP Surpriya Sule (NCP-Sharad Pawar) vs Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar (NCP) | 2019 winner: NCP (SP)

Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh: Sitting MP Dimple Yadav, wife of former CM Akhilesh Yadav (SP) vs sitting MLA Jayveer Singh (BJP) vs former MLA Shiv Prasad Yadav (BSP) | 2019 winner: SP