Lok Sabha 2019: Possible kingmakers if things go South (Part V)

Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, March 23: The states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana occupy the South zone and it sends 129 MPs to the Lok Sabha. Unlike other zones, most of the states in this region are dominated by regional political parties. If the upcoming general elections throw up a hung parliament, parties in this region will play a key role in determining which alliance form the government. Kerala The state has 20 Lok Sabha seats and it will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23. In the previous general elections, Congress won eight seats, CP (M) five, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) two, Independent (IND) two; and CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Kerala Congress (M) one each. The BJP has failed to make a successful inroad here so far but will field 14 candidates this time, while giving five seats to Bharath Dharma Jana Sena and one to Kerala Congress after the final seat-sharing agreement. On the other hand, the Congress has formed an alliance with IUML, Kerala Congress (M) and RSP (State level). The state is currently ruled by CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). Karnataka The state was once a stronghold of the Congress but the situation is different today with the BJP having successfully built its foundation. The BJP won 17 out of the total 28 seats in the previous Lok Sabha elections; followed by Congress with nine seats and Janata Dal (Secular) two. The UPA (Congress and JD-S) is currently ruling the state but the BJP won the highest number of seats in the assembly elections held last year, thus indicating it has the possibility of sweeping the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the meantime, the Congress and JD (S) have announced a 20-8 seat-sharing deal in the state to take on the BJP. The polling for the 17th Lok Sabha will be held in the state in two phases: on April 18 and 23. Tamil Nadu The state sends 39 MPs to the Lok Sabha. In the previous general elections, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) won a whopping 37 seats, leaving just one each to BJP and Pattali Makka Katchi (PMK). This time, the AIADMK has struck an alliance with the BJP and several other regional parties like Pattali Makkal Katchi, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, Puthiya Tamilagam, Tamil Maanila Congress and Puthiya Needhi Katchi. This alliance has the potential to push the NDA ahead of UPA. On the other hand, political parties in UPA include Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), CPM (state level), CPI (State level), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi (KMDK), Indhiya Jananayaga Katchi (IJK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Congress. However, it is to be seen if the MK Stalin-led DMK can defeat AIADMK, the party that is currently ruling the state. The state will go to the polls in a single phase on April 18. Andhra Pradesh The state had 42 Lok Sabha seats before the bifurcation of Telangana. In the previous general elections (united Andhra Pradesh), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won 16 seats, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) – 11, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRC) - 9, BJP – 3, Congress - 2 and All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen – 1. Andhra Pradesh currently has 25 parliamentary seats. The elections to both the Lok Sabha and legislative assembly will be simultaneously held in the state on April 11. TDP is currently ruling the state. Telangana India’s youngest state will go to polls in a single phase on April 11 to elect 17 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The TRS, which is currently in power in the state, seems to have an advantage in the upcoming general elections as TDP, Congress and BJP are unlikely to make any impact in the state while Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen has influence in some areas. The Federal Front, which was formed by TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao as an alternative to UPA and NDA, is aiming at winning maximum seats in the upcoming elections so that it can become the kingmaker in case of a hung government. Union territories Union territories Lakshadweep and Puducherry from South zone send one representative each to the Lok Sabha. In the previous elections, Nationalist Congress Party won the lone seat in Lakshadweep and All India NR Congress, an ally of NDA, won in Puducherry. It may be mentioned that more than 90 crore people will vote from over one million polling stations spread across 29 states to elect 543 members of parliament starting from April 11 till May 19. The counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on May 23.