Mar 27 :With three more days left for filing of nominations to the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, the total number of aspirants who have submitted their nominations has crossed 500. More than 160 papers were filed on Friday in various states.
In Kerala, 71 more nominations were submitted on Friday. With this, the total number of nominations filed in the state has gone up to 127. Meanwhile, electioneering is picking up for the 20 seats in the state. The constituency level conventions of all the major parties is over and the candidates and party workers are now concentrating on corner meetings and booth level meetings.
In Bihar, 55 candidates filed nominations on Friday in different parliamentary constituencies taking the total to 105. Prominent among those who filed their papers included Congress candidates K. K. Tiwary from Buxar, Vijay Shankar Dubey from Siwan and Ramai Ram from Gopalganj.
26 candidates filed their papers in Jharkhand on Friday, taking the total to 35. Prominent among them those filed their nominations include former Chief Minister and President of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Babulal Marandi and Union Minister Rameshwar Oraon.
In Arunachal Pradesh, four nominations were filed on Friday. The papers were submitted for Arunachal West and East Parliamentary constituencies.
In Assam, a total of eight candidates filed their nominations on Friday. Prominent among those filed nominations are Union Minister for heavy industries and public enterprises and Congress nominee Mr. Sontosh Mohan Dev and former Union Minister and BJP candidate Mr. Kabindra Purkyastha.
In Meghalaya, nominees of Congress, the United Democratic Party and the Meghalaya Democratic Party have filed their papers on Friday for the Lok Sabha polls. With this, five nominations have been filed for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat.
In Nagaland, candidates of both the NPF led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) and the Congress have filed their nominations. In Kohima, the Congress candidate and former MP, Mr. K. Asungba Sangtam filed his nomination on Friday. Earlier, the DAN consensus candidate Mr. C. M. Chang of the Nagaland Peoples Front filed his papers. A total of five nominations have been submitted so far to the lone Lok Sabha seat.
In Andhra Pradesh, a total of 51 candidates have filed nomination papers for 22 Lok Sabha constituencies in the first phase of elections so far. Being a holiday on Friday on the occasion of Telugu New Year day, there was no filing of nomination papers in the state. 316 candidates from various parties have also filed nomination papers in 154 Assembly constituencies that are going to polls on 16th of next month.
Filing of nominations for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls begins on Saturday. Polling will be held in this phase in 13 states covering 141 constituencies on the 23rd of next month. The last date of filing of nomination is 4th of next month. Scrutiny will be held on next day. Last day for withdrawal of candidature is 8th April.