Key candidates in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections include Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor from Congress, actor-turned-politician Arun Govil, as well as BJP’s Hema Malini, Om Birla, and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. These candidates are participating in the elections across various states.
Rahul Gandhi, the incumbent MP from Wayanad, is seeking re-election against CPI’s Annie Raja and BJP’s K Surendran. He secured a substantial margin of victory in the 2019 elections.
Shashi Tharoor is aiming to retain his Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time, facing competition from BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI’s Pannyan Raveendran.
Hema Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress’ Mukesh Dhangar. Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is up against Congress’ Prahlad Gunjal.
Union Minister Shekhawat is vying for a third win in Jodhpur, with Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda as his opponent.
In Bangalore South, BJP’s Tejasvi Surya faces Congress’ Sowmya Reddy, while former chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, is running from Rajnandgaon against BJP’s Santosh Pandey.
In Meerut, Arun Govil is running for office against BSP’s Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP’s Sunita Verma. BJP’s Virendra Kumar Khatik is seeking a fourth win in Tikamgarh, facing Congress’ Pankaj Ahirwar.
KC Venugopal is back in the Alappuzha election for Congress, hoping to secure the seat against CPI(M).
Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is competing in Thrissur against Congress’ K Muraleedharan and CPI(M)’s VS Sunil Kumar.
Sukanta Majumdar, the incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal, is aiming for re-election against Trinamool Congress’ Biplab Mitra and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
