Hema Malini posts with farmers again while campaigning; invites trolls
What's the story
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hema Malini has faced criticism on social media for her latest election campaign photos.
The images, which show her posing with farmers in fields, have raised questions about their authenticity among critics and online users.
The BJP has fielded Malini for the third time from the Mathura Lok Sabha constituency.
Twitter Post
Check out Malini's pictures with farmers
Today I went into the farms to interact with the farmers who I have been meeting regularly these 10 years. They loved having me in their midst and insisted I pose with them which I did❤️ pic.twitter.com/iRD4y9DH4k
— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) April 11, 2024
Previous accusations
Past controversies resurface amid current criticism
In 2019, she had also posted similar pictures with farmers, which many labeled "election drama."
From 1991 to 1999, Mathura was the BJP's stronghold four times.
In 2004, the Mathura seat was won by the Congress, but Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) took it over in 2009.
Then, in 2014, the BJP fielded Malini, who won. In the 2019 elections, she once again won in Mathura and became an MP.
Election details
Hema Malini's third consecutive election run
Uttar Pradesh, which contributes the highest number of MPs (80) to Parliament, will vote across seven phases.
Phases one and two are scheduled for April 19 and April 26, respectively, with phases three and four set for May 7 and May 13.
The state will then launch stages five, six, and seven on May 20, May 23, and June 1, respectively.
The Mathura constituency is scheduled to poll in the second phase of the general elections on April 26.
Key faces
Who are the key faces in Uttar Pradesh
The most prominent candidate from Uttar Pradesh is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be contesting from Varanasi again.
He secured the constituency for the BJP in the 2019 election by a significant margin of 4,79,505 ballots against Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Shalini Yadav.
Other key candidates include Dimple Yadav, the sitting MP from Mainpuri and wife of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who is running again from the constituency.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh is also in the race from Lucknow.