Over 3 crore voters across Mumbai, Maharashtra to decide fate of 323 candidates on April 29

The fate of 323 candidates, who are in the fray for the remaining 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state, will be sealed on April 29 during the fourth and final phase of voting in Maharashtra.

Over 3.1 crore registered voters, spread across the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in North Maharashtra, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and parts of Western Maharashtra, are eligible to exercise their franchise.

Of the total 3,11,92,823 voters, 1,66,31,707 are male, 1,45,59,698 female and 1,418 from the third gender. The election commission has set up 33,314 polling stations across these constituencies to ensure smooth polling.

The constituencies voting on April 29 are: Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik (North Maharashtra), Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane (located on Mumbai’s outskirts), Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai South and Mumbai South-Central, Maval and Shirur (Pune district) and Shirdi (Ahmednagar district).

In 2014, the BJP had won 8 of these 17 seats, while its ally Shiv Sena bagged the remaining 9. Although the Palghar seat was won by BJP in 2014, its alliance partner Shiv Sena will contest on the seat as part of their pre-poll alliance.

The opposition Congress, who had won just two seats in 2014 in Maharashtra, is facing an uphill task of reclaiming lost ground.

The party is relying on prominent names like actress-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar (Mumbai North), Priya Dutt (Mumbai North-Central) and Milind Deora (Mumbai South) for a turnaround.

The NCP is fighting to regain its position in Thane district and Western Maharashtra. It has fielded its president Sharad Pawar’s grand nephew Parth Pawar from Maval and noted Marathi actor Amol Kolhe from Shirur.

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80). Voting for 31 of these seats was held in the first three phases – April 11, 18 and 23. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.