General elections 2019: PM Narendra Modi asked people to come out in record numbers and vote
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted this morning asking people to come out and vote in large numbers and break the "records of the previous three phases".
"Another phase of the General Elections begins today. I hope those voting today do so in large numbers and break the voting records of the previous three phases. A special appeal to young voters to head to the polling booth and exercise their franchise," PM Modi tweeted.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh also tweeted. "...Your vote will not only strengthen the pillars of democracy but it will also help shaping of a New India."
Polling for the fourth phase of the national elections began today in which the heartland states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are voting for the first time. So is Mumbai, the country's financial capital. Six seats in Madhya Pradesh and 13 in Rajasthan are voting today.
For the BJP, this round is crucial, since both states were wrested by the Congress in last year's assembly elections. Overall, voters will decide on 72 seats spread across nine states. The star candidates whose electoral fortunes will be decided include six Union ministers. Polling for the seven-phase election ends on May 19, the counting of votes will be held on May 23.
More than 12 crore people across nine states are eligible to vote - among them, a large swathe of Hindi-speaking India. The BJP had done astonishingly well in the last elections here. And if it wants to come back, it can't afford to lose too many of these seats.
Along with several big names, this phase also has highest proportion of candidates with criminal cases against them, the most number of crorepatis and women candidates.