Lok Sabha Polls 2019: Campaigning ends for phase 4, nine states set to go to polls on April 29

The hard-fought political campaign for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in 72 constituencies across nine states has come to an end this afternoon. The states which are going for polls on April 29 are Maharashtra (17/48 seats), Rajasthan (13/25 seats), Uttar Pradesh (13/80 seats), West Bengal (8/42 seats), Madhya Pradesh (6/29 seats), Odisha (6/21 seats), Bihar (5/40 seats), Jharkhand (3/14 seats) and Jammu and Kashmir (1/6). The counting of votes will be taken up on May 23 after the seven phases of polling are completed on May 19.

The fourth phase is crucial as it will witness polling in several key constituencies such as Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, Sidhi, Jabalpur, Maharashtra's Mumbai North, Mumbai South, Mumbai North Central, Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Kannauj, West Bengal's Asansol, Rajasthan's Jhalawar-Baran, Jodhpur and Barmer among others. While Maharashtra will witness final polling in the state, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will vote for the first time.

While Kamal Nath's son Nakul is contesting his maiden election from Chhindwara, Ajay Singh - the son of Congress stalwart and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Arjun Singh will be fighting from Sidhi. BJP state unit chief Rakesh Singh is seeking re-elections from the Jabalpur Lok Sabha seats.

In Maharashtra, actress Urmila Matondkar is in the fray along with Poonam Mahajan and Priya Dutt - daughters of two late national stalwarts - Pramod Mahajan of BJP and Sunil Dutt of Congress.

Talking about other high profile electoral battles, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is contesting from Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj while singer and sitting BJP MP Babul Supriyo is in the fray from West Bengal's Asansol parliamentary constituency. Supriyo is pitted against Trinamool Congress leader and veteran actress Moon Moon Sen.

In Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav is all set to make his political debut against sitting MP and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Other key contestants who will fight in the fourth phase of crucial General Elections 2019 on Monday include - Milind Deora, Sanjay Nirupam, Parth Pawar, Gajanan Kirtikar, Dushyant Singh, Manvendra Singh, Salman Khurshid, Ram Shankar Katheria, Baijayant Panda, Giriraj Singh, Sakshi Maharaj, Upendra Kushwaha, Kanhaiya Kumar, SS Ahluwalia and Sriprakash Jaiswal.

The seven phase Lok Sabha elections in 543 parliamentary constituencies is scheduled to be held on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. The counting of votes for all phases will be taken up on May 23.