Campaign ends, over to result day on June 4

Concluding day sees frenetic canvassing by NDA & INDIA bloc leaders

-  PREETHA NAIR

AS the high-decibel campaigns for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections draw to a close on Thursday, all eyes are on verdict day on June 4, when the fate of the incumbent NDA government and the INDIA alliance will be decided. The last phase of polling will be held on June 1 for 57 seats across eight states and Union Territories.

The concluding day saw frenetic campaigning with top leaders of the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc making last-ditch efforts to woo voters. While Prime Minister Modi held rallies in Punjab before heading to Kanyakumari for a three-day meditation trip, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies in Punjab, where 13 seats are up for grabs.

With the BJP and Opposition parties sharpening their campaign rhetoric, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asserted on Thursday that an INDIA bloc government will be formed after June 4 and the PM face will be decided after reaching a consensus with the constituents of the alliance.

Political observers point out that the tone and tenor of the two-month-long electoral battle have undergone a drastic change since it began on April 19. Perceived to be a one-sided election at the beginning with the BJP-led NDA expected to win the third consecutive term, the INDIA bloc's campaign gained momentum with burning issues such as unemployment, the burgeoning rich-poor divide, and inflation taking the centre stage. The Congress' campaign primarily centred around its Nyay schemes.