The five key points that make the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls important for BJP as it seeks to capture power in Delhi for the second time.
1. In 2014, BJP and its allies had won 56 of the 72 seats, which are going to the polls on Monday – an impressive strike rate of 77 per cent. It has to retain all the seats to come back to power.
2. Of the 72 seats going to polls, the BJP had won 45 – all 13 of Rajasthan, 12 of the 13 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Madhya Pradesh, three each in Bihar and Jharkhand, eight in Maharashtra and one in West Bengal.
3. All the 17 seats in Maharashtra going to the polls today are with the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. Retaining them all would be the hardest challenge for the two parties this time.
4. The Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh is also voting today. In 2014, the BJP had a good outing in the region. However, this time, it is up against the formidable Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in the state.
5. In West Bengal, Asansol is going to the polls today. In 2014, BJP leader and union minister Babul Supriyo had won this seat by 70,000 votes. He is locked in a close contest with TMC’s Moon Moon Sen.
