With the Notification for first phase of Lok Sabha elections issued the formal process for Elections to 91 Lok Sabha seats across 20 states and Union Territories has begun. SP-BSP say they can defeat BJP on their own and that Congress is confusing the electorate. BJP Central Election Committee will meet on Tuesday.

The process to elect the 17th Lok Sabha formally began on Monday with Election Commission issuing notification for the first phase of polling. 91 parliamentary constituencies spread over 20 states and union territories will go to polls on 11th of next month.

With the issue of notification, nomination process for these 91 seats has kicked off. The last date of filing nominations is 25th of this month and the scrutiny of the nomination papers will be carried out on the 26th.

The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is 28th March. All the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies of Andhra Pradesh, and all 17 from Telangana will go to polls in this phase.

Besides, voting will also take place for 8 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 7 in Maharashtra, all five in Uttarakhand, 5 in Assam, 4 in Bihar, 4 in Odisha, 2 seats in Arunachal Pradesh, 2 in West Bengal, 2 in Jammu and Kashmir, 2 in Meghalaya, and 1 each in Chattishgarh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

The onset of the election process has , in fact, already kick started the political slugfest in the most crucial of all states – uttar pradesh. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi started her campaign from Prayagraj, she began her ‘Ganga Yatra’ on boat to reach out to voters.

She interacted with a cross section of people, including students, and invited some of them to join her on the motorboat as she undertook her much anticipated ride from the Manaiya Ghat in Kachnar tehsil of Prayagraj district.The BJP has however claimed that her campaign will have no impact on the electoral scenario.

In 2014 General Elections, BJP led NDA had won 52 out of these 91 seats while Congress led UPA could secure victories on 9 seats only. Others bagged 30 seats in total. Partywise BJP bagged the most 32 seats, TDP 16, Shiv Sena 2, Congress 9, TRS 11, YSRCP 9, BJD 4, TMC 2 and LJP, NPF, NPP, NCP, CPM, SDF, PDP, AIMIM one each.

The Election commission also issued notification for assembly elections in Andhara Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. All the 175 seats of Andhra Pradesh Assembly, 28 out of total 147 seats of Odisha Assembly, all 32 constituencies in Sikkim and all 60 seats of Arunachal Pradesh assembly will go to polls on the same day.

While the other two constituents in UP have reacted sharply to the developments in the state. BSP supremo Mayawati , once again reiterating her stand on having no alliance with the Congress has said that the alliance is perfectly capable of defeating BJP on its own. She tweeted to warn congress of not spread canards about the alliance in UP where it is not part of any team.

SP President Akhilesh Yadav also joined Mayawati in lambasting the congress policies. he also tweeted to say that SP – BSP combine is capable of winning on its won and congress should not create any confusion.

BJP, meanwhile , is all too happy to observe the inter party ramblings from the sidelines and pitch in a word or two of its own for added flavours. Meanhwile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi is campaigning in Karnataka where he addressed a rally.

All the political parties are now engaged in election campaigning. Odisha’s Chief Minister and president of Biju Janata Dal NAveen Patnaik released name of candidates for 9 lok sabha and 54 state assembly seats. Naveen Patnaik is entering the fray in assembly elections from two seats. With the notification for the first phase, the great Indian democracy saga for 2019 has begun in rights earnest.