New Delhi, May 20: The stage is set for interesting battles across eight states and union territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls, with some seats turning into prestige contests for political dynasties and senior leaders seeking to retain their influence.
A total of 49 constituencies from six states and two union territories are set for polls on Monday in the fifth phase of polling.
The contests include Amethi and Raebareli, considered traditional strongholds of Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Raebaereli, a seat represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi since 2004. Rahul Gandhi has also contested from Wayanad in Kerala and it remains to be seen if he wins both seats.
In 2019, Rahul Gandhi lost the election in Amethi to Union Minister Smriti Irani. The party has fielded its dedicated worker, KL Sharma, from the seat to take on Smriti Irani.
Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, is in the fray from Saran.
Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai are among 13 seats in Maharashtra that will see voting on Monday and the high-profile candidates include Union Minister Piysuh Goyal. While candidates from Congress and the BJP are in the fray, it is also a battle that will decide who among the Shiv Sena factions has the most support among voters.
The battle in Ladakh is also interesting, with an independent candidate giving a run for money to candidates from the BJP and Congress.
In Bihar’s Hajipur, the LJP (Ram Vilas) leader is seeking to retain the legacy of his father, Ram Vilas Paswan, a former union minister who won the seat several times.
The simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabah polls in Odisha began with the fourth phase on May 13. In the fifth phase, on May 20, five of the state’s total 21 Lok Sabha seats and 35 assembly constituencies will go to the polls.
A total of 695 candidates are in the fray for the 49 Lok Sabha seats in this phase.
In Bihar, voters from five constituencies–Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran, and Hajipur–will vote in the fifth phase of the polls.
(ANI)
