1. Lok Sabha elections focus on BJP and Congress candidates in the second phase on April 26.
2. Notable contenders include Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor from Congress, and Hema Malini, Arun Govil from BJP.
3. These prominent figures are vying for electoral success as the nation watches.
New Delhi, April 26: As the Lok Sabha elections progress, attention shifts to prominent figures from both the BJP and the Congress contesting in the second phase on April 26.
Among these candidates are Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, alongside BJP stalwarts Hema Malini and Arun Govil.
Arun Govil: A Debut in Politics
Arun Govil, renowned for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the iconic TV series Ramayan, marks his political debut as the BJP’s candidate for the Meerut seat. Challenging Bahujan Samaj Party’s Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and Samajwadi Party’s Sunita Verma, Govil aims to secure victory after the BJP decides to field him, replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal.
Rahul Gandhi: Re-contesting from Wayanad
Rahul Gandhi, re-contesting the Wayanad seat from Kerala, faces competition from CPI’s Annie Raja and BJP’s K Surendran. After retaining his Lok Sabha membership from Wayanad in 2019 despite losing Amethi, Gandhi maintains his stronghold in the constituency.
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Shashi Tharoor: A Bid for Fourth Term
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor seeks to secure the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth consecutive term. His rivals include Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI’s Pannyan Raveendran.
Hema Malini: Defending Mathura
Hema Malini, representing the Mathura constituency since 2014, contests against Congress’ Mukesh Dhangar. Meanwhile, Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, faces Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party.
Polling Across States and Territories
In the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls, voting spans across various regions:
- Kerala: All 20 seats are up for grabs.
- Karnataka: 14 out of 28 seats are in contention.
- Rajasthan: 13 seats will see polling.
- Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh: Eight seats each will participate.
- Madhya Pradesh: Seven seats are in focus.
- Assam and Bihar: Five seats each will go to polls.
- Chhattisgarh and West Bengal: Three seats each are up for grabs.
- Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir: One seat each will witness voting.
Other Key Contestants
Besides the prominent figures mentioned above, several other significant candidates vie for victory:
- KC Venugopal: The Congress general secretary contests the Alappuzha seat in Kerala.
- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat: The Union minister aims for a third win from the Jodhpur seat.
- Tejasvi Surya: The sitting MP for Bangalore South faces Congress’ Sowmya Reddy.
- Sukanta Majumdar: The incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat seeks re-election.
- Bhupesh Baghel: The former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister contests from Rajnandgaon, challenging BJP’s Santosh Pandey.
As these candidates engage in the electoral battle, their victories will shape the political landscape of their respective constituencies and influence the national narrative.
