Polling for third phase LS election on Thursday

Voters will cast their ballots on Thursday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections to choose 107 Members of Parliament from among 1,567 candidates, including political titans Sonia Gandhi and L K Advani.

Voters will cast their ballots on Thursday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections to choose 107 Members of Parliament from among 1,567 candidates, including political titans Sonia Gandhi and L K Advani.

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Over 14.4 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in polling in this phase to be held in 1.65 lakh booths across nine states and two union territories. Election would also be held on Thursday to the 32-member Sikkim legislative assembly.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is seeking her first re-election from the Lok Sabha constituency of Rae Bareli. She had moved to this seat from Amethi in 2004 when her son Rahul Gandhi entered the election arena. Rae Bareli was represented by Sonia's mother-in-law late Indira Gandhi in 1980.

Advani, who has been named the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, has represented Gandhinagar seat since 1991. It's the winning margin that is more important for poll managers of both these candidates.

The prominent candidates in the fray in the third phase include - former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, JD-U chief Sharad Yadav, former Karnataka chief minister S Bangarappa and union ministers Sriprakash Jaiswal and Jyotiraditya Scindia.