Lok Sabha election 2019: Focus shifts to last phase of polling as political biggies descend on UP East, Bihar, Jharkhand

On Friday evening campaigning for the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, that is going to take place on 12 May came to an end. And with this, the focus of the political parties and their ‘star’ campaigners will shift to the constituencies that will go to polls in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections, which will take place on 19 May. Some high-profile constituency that will go to polls in the seventh phase includes Patna Sahib (Bihar), Chandigarh, Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Amritsar (Punjab), Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will address public rallies at the two of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh that will go to polls on 19 May. Modi will address rallies at Robertsganj and Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh. Union Minister Manoj Sinha is the incumbent MP from Ghazipur. He was also elected from the same constituency in 1999 elections. Afzal Ansari who is contesting on Gathbandhan (BSP-SP alliance) ticket won the seat in 2004 on Samajwadi Party ticket. Congress candidate is Ajit Pratap Kushwaha. [caption id=“attachment_6557401” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Amit Shah. Twitter @BJP4India[/caption] Ghazipur, situated in East Uttar Pradesh, has a sizable population of upper caste groups like Bhumihars, Kayasthas, Brahmins and Thakurs – all of them coming under the umbrella of Upper Castes. Moreover, Yadavs, Muslims and Khushwahas are also found in such numbers that can swing the election in anyone’s favour. Apart from Ghazipur, Modi will also address a rally at Robertsganj where the incumbent MP is Chhotelal from BJP. Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address three rallies in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. He will address rallies at Shajapur, Amjhera, District Dhar and Khargone. BJP President, Amit Shah will address rallies at Pakur in Jharkhand and Kaimur and Bhojpur in Bihar. He will also lead a roadshow in Patna that will start from St. Severin’s School, Kadam Kuan to Gandhi Maidan. Contest in Patna is between Bollywood actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who has been associated with BJP for about three decades but quit the party last month and joined the Congress. Sinha is a two-term BJP Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib but was dropped by BJP this time and BJP decided to field Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from the seat. Sinha has been given ticket by Congress. Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat is considered one of the safest seats for BJP in India — especially after the last delimitation of seats in 2008 which made it an urban seat, with a predominant upper caste Kayasth population. Also, the contest this time is tough as both—the Congress and BJP candidate belongs to the same Kayastha community, which has the numbers to influence the election outcomes. Out of the six Assembly seats that is part of Patna Lok Sabha constituency five of them have BJP MLAs and one has an RJD legislator. The contest in Patna will be closely observed and Amit Shah roadshow is also expected to raise the political temperature in the capital city of Bihar.