A total of 118 candidates will be in the fray for the third phase of lok Sabha elections on April 24 in the state. During nomination process from March 29 to April 5, as many as 133 candidates had filed their nominations.
During scrutiny, 9 nominations were rejected on April 7. Of the remaining 124 candidates, 6 withdrew their nominations on Wednesday. Total 118 candidates have been left in the fray for the third phase. Wednesday was the last day for nomination withdrawal. Thus, 118 candidates are left in the fray for the third phase. There are 142 for the second phase.
The polling dates are April 10, 17 and 24. In all, 378 candidates will contest elections in 29 constituencies which is 51 less than from 15th lok Sabha election in year 2009 when their number was 429.
On Thursday, 3 candidates withdrew their names in Vidisha and one each in Ujjain, Indore and Khandwa. No nomination was withdrawn in Dewas, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Dhar, Khargone and Betul
on Wednesday.
In the third phase, 12 candidates each will contest election in Vidisha and Ujjain, 11 in Dewas, 14 each in Mandsaur and Khandwa, 10 in Ratlam, 7 in Dhar, 22 in Indore and 8 each in Khargone and Betul.
After scrutiny, 13 candidates had filed their nomination for Vidisha Vidhan Sabha constituency by-election.
Of them, 2 withdrew their nominations today, with this, 11 candidates have been left in the fray for the by-election.
Election for the twenty nine lok Sabha seats of Madhya Pradesh were scheduled in three phases, of that first phase of polling for nine seats was held on Wednesday, while the remaining twenty seats would go to polls in two phases of ten seats each on April 17 and 24.