Filing of nominations for the second phase of elections picks up momentum

New Delhi, Mar 29 (ANI): The filing of nominations for Assembly and Lok Sabha seats has picked up momentum with President Pratibha Patil issuing a notification for the second phase of elections.

The second phase of polling, scheduled on April 23 would include 25 seats in Maharashtra, 20 in Andhra Pradesh, 17 each in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, 13 each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh and 11 each in Assam and Orissa.

A total of 130 nominations were filed for Lok Sabha and 1086 nominations for Assembly in the sixth day on Saturday for the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Several prominent candidates including Ministers, sitting MPs and MLAs filed nomination papers.

Some of these important leaders include - Bharatiya Janata Party's Lal Muni Chaubey from Buxar, Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M) leader Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi from Nawada, Union minister of Bihar for tourism Kanti Singh of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress leader Awadhesh Kumar Singh from Karakat, and RJD's Surendra Prasad Yadav from Jehanabad.

In Chhattisgarh, 48 candidates from different political parties submitted their nominations. The nominations included two candidates of the Congress, four of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and five of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Other parties like the Chhattisgarh Vikash Party, Gondwana Gantantra Party have also fielded their candidates in the state.

In Orissa, one independent candidate has filed his nomination for Lok Sabha election and two candidates for Assembly election.

The last date for filing nominations is April 4. These nominations will be examined on April 6.

April 8 is the date for withdrawal of nominations, according to State Election Office release.

Notification for the first phase involving 124 constituencies was issued on March 23. Counting of votes for all five phases would be taken up on May 16. (ANI)