Kolkata, April 17: The Lok Sabha elections 2024 will see West Bengal and Bihar cast their votes in the first phase on April 19 along with several other states.  West Bengal, which contributes 42 members to the Lower House, will begin its seven-phase voting process on this day. Constituencies of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri will elect their candidates in this initial phase. The major contenders in this electoral battleground include the Trinamool Congress, BJP, and a coalition of the Left Front and Congress.

Meanwhile, Bihar, a significant state in Indian politics with 40 Lok Sabha seats, will also hold polls in its first four constituencies Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada. With its high number of seats, Bihar ranks fourth overall in the Lok Sabha. PM Narendra Modi Takes Jibe at Congress During Rally in Bihar's Jamui, Says 'Congress Brought Disrepute to India During Its Rule'.

Key Constituencies Gear Up for Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Cooch Behar, West Bengal

The Cooch Behar constituency, a long-time Left stronghold, is witnessing a contest between BJP’s Nishith Pramanik and Trinamool Congress’s Jagadish Chandra Burma Basunia. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have visited the constituency, setting the tone for their representatives. Lok Sabha Election 2024: PM Narendra Modi To Be the First Prime Minister To Address Poll Rally in West Bengal’s Raiganj on April 16.

Jalpaiguri, West Bengal

In Jalpaiguri, incumbent BJP MP Jayanta Kumar Roy is facing Nirmal Chandra Roy of the Trinamool and Debraj Barman representing the CPI-M. The constituency has become a BJP stronghold, with the party leading in six of the seven assembly segments in 2019.

Gaya, Bihar

The Gaya Lok Sabha constituency, known for the famous Buddhist site of Bodh Gaya, is seeing a contest between Jitan Ram Manjhi of the NDA’s Hindustani Awaam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) and Kumar Sarvajeet of the RJD. The constituency, where over 30% of the voters belong to the Scheduled Castes (SC), is grappling with persistent water scarcity.

Jamui, Bihar

Jamui constituency, with more than 17 lakh voters, is likely to witness a keen contest between NDA ally LJP-R candidate Arun Bharti and RJD nominee Archana Ravidas. The constituency will go to polls in the first phase on April 19. PM Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have addressed rally here, seeking votes for Arun Bharti.

As the election season kicks off, all eyes will be on these states as they play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape of the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 17, 2024 12:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).