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Varanasi
Located in the southeastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi (between 25 degrees 15 minutes N to 25 degrees 22 minutes N Latitudes and 82 degrees 57 minutes E to 83 degrees 01 minute E longitudes) lies in the middle-Ganges valley on the left bank of the river. It is 692 kilometers to the southeast of India's capital New Delhi and 320 kilometers to the southeast of the state capital, Lucknow.
A centre of pilgrimage and rituals for Hindus, the Varanasi constituency is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state and holds considerable political importance. It is made up of five assembly segments - Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt, and Sevapuri, representing a varied demographic. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Indian National Congress (INC), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are the main parties in the constituency. The Varanasi constituency gained national attention in 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi first won, and he has retained it since.
Demographic profile
Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency has an estimated Scheduled Caste population of 10 per cent and an estimated Scheduled Tribe population of 1 per cent, according to the latest relevant Delimitation Commission report. The estimated literacy level of the district(s) in which this constituency falls in is 77per cent, according to the Census of India, 2011.
Voters
In the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, there were a total of 1,997,578 registered voters on the electoral rolls for the 2024 Lok Sabha election, of which 1,083,750 were male, 913,692 female and 136 of the third gender. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, there were a total of 1,856,791 registered voters, of which 1,083,750 were male, 829,560 female and 118 of the third gender. In 2014 elections, there were a total of 1,766,487 registered voters in this constituency, of which 985,395 were male, 781,000 female and 92 of the third gender. In the 2009 polls, the number of total electors was 1,561,854 which included 867,645 male, and 694,209 female.
Political history
The Varanasi Lok Sabha seat has a diverse history, with the BJP maintaining control since 1991, except for a single term won by the Congress in 2004.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi of the BJP secured victory in Varanasi, obtaining 203,122 votes, while Mukhtar Ansari of the BSP received 185,911 votes.
In 2014, PM Modi won, defeating Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Arvind Kejriwal by 371,784 votes.
In the 2019 elections, Narendra Modi again achieved a substantial victory with a margin of 479,505 votes, receiving 674,664 votes against Shalini Yadav of the SP, who garnered 195,159 votes.
In Lok Sabha elections 2024, Varanasi constituency went to polls on June 1 in Phase-VII. Prime Minister Narendra Modi won from this constituency by a margin of 152,513. Congress's Ajay Rai, who was the candidate for the INDIA bloc received 460,457 votes, while PM Modi got 612,970 votes.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, there were 7 candidates contesting from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. In 2019 the number of contestants for this seat was 26, while in 2014 there were 42 candidates, and the number was 15 in the 2009 polls.
According to data released by the Election Commission of India, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the estimated voter turnout in Varanasi constituency was 56.34 per cent. In 2019, this seat registered a turnout of 57 per cent, while it was 58 per cent in 2014 and 43 per cent in 2009.
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