Maharashtra: These seven seats, including Nitin Gadkari's constituency, set to go to polls on April 11

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in four phases in Maharashtra starting from the Vidarbha region on April 11. At 48, Maharashtra sends the second largest number of MPs to Lok Sabha, after Uttar Pradesh which has total 80 constituencies. The schedule for seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in the country, beginning April 11, was announced by the Election Commission in Delhi. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 23. 

The total number of voters in Maharashtra, as on January 25, stood at 8,73,30,484 as against 8,07,98,823 in 2014. The number of voters has gone up by over 65 lakh since 2014, while more than 11,000 new polling booths have been added in urban areas. Simultaneously, around 6,000 polling booths in rural areas have been cancelled.

In 2014, Maharashtra recorded 62.24% voting as against 53.67% in 2009 general elections. The number of polling booths in rural areas was 61,816 in 2014, which is now reduced by 6,002 to 55,814 for general elections 2019. On the other hand, the quantum of polling booths in urban areas, which stood at 27,663 in 2014, has gone up by 11,996 to 39,659 for upcoming polls. The number of first time voters in the state is 25,13,657.

Overcoming their strained ties, the BJP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party on February 18 announced to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections together. As per the seat-sharing agreement, the BJP will contest 25 seats and Shiv Sena 23 of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

The two parties will contest an equal number of seats, after allotting allies their due share of segments, in polls for the 288-member state Assembly, due this year. BJP chief Amit Shah also acknowledged that Sena's support was crucial for his party for making a comeback to power, especially in the absence of the 2014 "wave".

Phase 1: April 11 (91 Lok Sabha seats in 20 states/UTs) 

Maharashtra: 7 seats

2014 Results in these 7 seats: NDA: 7 (BJP: 5, Shiv Sena: 2).

1. Nagpur (2014 Result: BJP)

2019 candidates: Nitin Gadkari (BJP) Vs Nana Patole (Congress)

2. Wardha (2014 Result: BJP) 

2019 candidates: Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas (BJP) Vs Advocate Charulata Khajasingh Tokas (Congress)

3. Ramtek (2014 Result: Shiv Sena)

2019 candidates: Krupal Tumane (Shiv Sena) Vs Kishor Uttamrao Gajbhiye (Congress)

4. Bhandara-Gondiya (2014 Result: BJP)

2019 candidates: Sunil Baburao Mendhe (BJP) Vs Nana Panchbudhe (NCP)

5. Chandrapur (2014 Result: BJP) 

2019 candidates: Hansraj Gangaram Ahir (BJP) Vs Suresh Dhanorkar (Congress)

6. Yavatmal-Washim (2014 Result: Shiv Sena)

2019 candidates: Bhavana Gawali (Shiv Sena) Vs Manikrao G Thakare (Congress)

7. Gadchiroli-Chimur (2014 Result: BJP)

2019 candidates: Ashok Mahadeorao Nete (BJP) Vs Namdev Dallujui Usendi (Congress)