Lok Sabha elections: Key contenders in Phase 2
As many as 88 constituencies from 13 states and Union Territories went to the polls at 7:00am on Friday. Of the total seats, more than half are from the southern states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Rajasthan. This ongoing second phase of the Lok Sabha elections will decide the outcome of over 1,200 candidates who are either looking at a re-election or a seat in the Lower House of Parliament. Here is a quick look at some of the key faces:
Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor in the race
Among the notable faces is Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, who is vying for re-election in Kerala's Wayanad constituency. His main competitors are Annie Raja from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and K Surendran of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In another key constituency of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is up against BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Tharoor is seeking a fourth term from this seat. The CPI has put forward Pannian Ravindran as their candidate for this constituency.
Kumaraswamy, Hema Malini among key candidates in fray
In Karnataka's Mandya constituency, former state Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy from Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), a BJP ally, is contesting against the Congress's Venkataramane Gowda. Up in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura constituency, Bollywood actor Hema Malini is running for re-election on a BJP ticket, having represented this constituency since 2014. In Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon constituency, former state CM Bhupesh Baghel is challenging incumbent BJP MP Santosh Pandey.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is contesting from Kota
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is contesting from the Kota constituency in Rajasthan on a BJP ticket, with his main rival being Prahlad Gunjal, a former two-time MLA from BJP who switched to Congress in March. In Karnataka, DK Suresh, the only Congress candidate who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, is running for reelection from Bangalore Rural. Suresh is the brother of state deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
Tejasvi Surya contesting from Bangalore South
Tejasvi Surya, the current Bangalore South MP and national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) from September 26, 2020, is seeking re-election from the same constituency. Surya will face Sowmya Reddy, a Congress contender. Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Mandya, and Mysore are among the key Karnataka seats voting in the second phase of the election.
