New Delhi: As many as 72
constituencies
in 9 states including Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are going to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls today. A whopping 961 candidates are in fray. Here's a look at
key seats
and contestants.
JODHPUR | RAJASTHANKey contenders: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (BJP), Vaibhav Gehlot (Cong).
In 2014 Gajendra Shekhawat, BJP (66%), beat Chandresh Kumari, Cong (28.1%), by 4.1 lakh votes.
Vaibhav GehlotCM Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav faces Union minister and Amit Shah’s aide Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Vaibhav’s loss would mean a loss of face for the CM on his home ground. Shekhawat’s defeat would vindicate Vasundhara Raje’s stand that Shah’s man does not enjoy the support of all communities. The seat is dominated by Rajputs but Jats can play a decisive role as well. Gehlot’s four-decade-long political stint in Jodhpur has been put to test against the RSS pracharak of the same region.
BARMER | RAJASTHAN Key contenders: Kailash Choudhary (BJP), Manvendra Singh (Cong).
In 2014. Col. Sona Ram, BJP (40.09%), beat Jaswant Singh, Ind (32.9%), by 87,461 votes.
Kailash ChoudharyCongress candidate and Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra is pitted against BJP’s Kailash Choudhary, a former MLA. In 2014, Jaswant, after being denied a ticket by BJP, had contested as an independent candidate and lost. Manvendra eventually quit BJP and contested against Vasundhara Raje in the 2018 assembly polls and lost. This time, for Manvendra, it is a fight against the “insult” meted out to him in BJP. The seat is dominated by Jats but the SC vote will be decisive.
ASANSOL | WEST BENGAL Key contenders:Babul Supriyo (BJP), Gouranga Chatterjee (CPM), Moon Moon Sen (Trinamool).
In 2014 Babul Supriyo, BJP (36.8%), beat Dola Sen, Trinamool (30.6%), by 70,480 votes.
Babul SupriyoUnion MoS and singer-turned politician Babul Supriyo faces Trinamool MP and yesteryears’ star Moon Moon Sen in this cosmopolitan constituency. Asansol has seen polarisation following the 2018 riots. Taking on BJP on its own turf, the Trinamoolrun Asansol civic body has been inaugurating temples and upgrading gaushalas.
BAHARAMPUR |WEST BENGAL Key contenders: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Cong), Apurba Sarkar (Trinamool).
In 2014, Adhir R Chowdhury, Cong (50.5%), beat Indranil Sen, Trinamool (19.7%), by 3.5 lakh votes.
Adhir Chowdhury Four-time MP and former Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury (below) faces a tough challenge from Trinamool candidate Apurba Sarkar. Mamata Banerjee seems to have taken the battle personally a fte r Chowdhury raised the chit fund scam in Parliament. She has deployed her trusted lieutenants to defeat Chowdhury on his own turf and referred to the former railway minister’s ‘RSS links’ to win the 62% minority votes.
MUMBAI SOUTH | MAHARSTHRA Key contenders: Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena), Milind Deora (Cong).
In 2014, Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena (48%), beat Milind Deora, Cong (31.6%), by 1.3 lakh votes.
Milind Deora (R)Milind, the son of Congress veteran Murli Deora, was twice elected to Lok Sabha from here before being defeated in 2014 by Arvind Sawant, the first Sena candidate to win the seat since 1952. Milind, who was recently named Mumbai Congress chief, a post held for long by his late father, got a shot in the arm when Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and banker Uday Kotak backed his bid for the seat. Demonetisation and GST are seen as the big issues in this seat, which includes the trading hubs of Colaba and Zaveri Bazaar. A key challenge for Congress will be to get the voters into the booths as the seat is notorious for low turnouts.
MUMBAI NORTH CENTRAL | MAHARSTHRA Key contenders: Priya Dutt (Cong), Poonam Mahajan (BJP).
In 2014, Poonam Mahajan, BJP (56.6%), beat Priya Dutt, Cong (34.5%), by 1.8 lakh votes.
Priya DuttIt is a rematch of the dynasts in this Mumbai seat and Priya Dutt (below), a two-time MP and political heir to the late Sunil Dutt, will be hoping to avenge her defeat at the hands of Poonam, daughter of slain former Union minister and BJP bigwig Pramod Mahajan, in 2014. Dutt says she is fighting to save democracy while Mahajan is banking on her work in the constituency of 18 lakh voters, which comprises upmarket Bandra and Vile Parle. Poll watchers say a swing in Marathi and Muslim votes could work for Dutt, but she is also fighting perceptions of being a reluctant candidate since she had said in January that she wouldn’t contest.
MAVAL | MAHARSTHRA Key contenders: Shrirang Barne (Shiv Sena), Parth Pawar (NCP).
In 2014, Shrirang Barne, Shiv Sena (43.6%), beat Laxman Jagtap, PWPI (30.2%), by 1.5 lakh votes.
Parth Pawar The constituency will see an intense fight between sitting Sena MP Barne and Parth Pawar, son of former deputy CM Ajit Pawar. NCP chief Sharad Pawar had initially announced he would contest polls from Madha, but later decided against it, saying he was making way for his grandnephew Parth, who would contest along with his daughter, Supriya Sule, in Baramati. Parth’s fortunes will impact Ajit’s standing in the party as he had lobbied hard for his son and the local BJP is referred to as the ‘B-team of NCP’ since most top leaders are NCP turncoat
JABALPUR | MP Key contenders: Rakesh Singh (BJP), VK Tankha (Cong).
In 2014 Rakesh Singh, BJP (56.3%), beat VK Tankha, Cong (35.5%), by 2 lakh votes
Rakesh SinghSince 1996, this has been a BJP bastion. State BJP chief and MP Rakesh Singh (right) won thrice from here and is in the fray for a fourth term. Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Supreme Court lawyer Vivek Tankha is said to be giving him a tough fight. PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi have addressedrallies here. CM Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia have campaigned for Tankha, sniffing a chance at dislodging the BJP leader in his stronghold:Congress won four assembly segments here in 2018.
KANNAUJ | UPKey contenders: Dimple Yadav (SP), Subrat Pathak (BJP).
In 2014, Dimple Yadav, SP (43.9%), beat Subrat Pathak, BJP (42.1%), by 19,907 votes.
Dimple YadavThe seat is a traditional stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, and especially for the Yadavs. Akhilesh Yadav won Kannauj in 2000 in a by-election and then again in 2004 and 2009. When Akhilesh vacated the seat in 2012 after taking over the reins of the state, the seat was won by his wife Dimple, who retained it in 2014 as well. She is being challenged by BJP’s Subrat Pathak, who lost to Dimple by a slender margin last time. Congress has not fielded a candidate, making it a direct contest between gathbandhan candidate Dimple and Pathak.
MUMBAI NORTH | MAHARASTHRA Key contenders: Urmila Matondkar (Cong), Gopal Shetty (BJP).
In 2014, Gopal Shetty, BJP (70.1%), beat Sanjay Nirupam, Cong (22.9%), by 4.4 lakh votes
Urmila MatondkarIt is as tough as it gets for Urmila in her poll debut from a seat where the then Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam was squarely routed by BJP’s Shetty in 2014. Urmila jumped gamely into the contest, looking to reach out to voters and galvanise the Congress workers with party leaders and allies like NCP chief Sharad Pawar canvassing for her. But Shetty is confident about his work in this seat and is seen as enjoying a solid grassroots connect. He is firmly pushing the vikas plank and Modi’s leadership as his two main cards in the seat that has 17 lakh voters.
BEGUSARAI | BIHARKey contenders: Kanhaiya Kumar (CPI), Giriraj Singh (BJP), Md Tanweer Hassan (RJD).
In 2014, Bhola Singh, BJP (39.7%), beat Md Tanveer Hassan, RJD (34.3%), by 58,335 votes.
The former JNUSU president has brought this north Bihar seat under the spotlight by running a crowdfunded campaign featuring 300-odd volunteers and cameos by Bollywood personalities — Shabana Azmi, Swara Bhasker and Javed Akhtar. Hindutva hardliner Giriraj, who was initially reluctant to contest from here, is mainly banking on Narendra Modi’s image and Bhumihar votes. However, Kanhaiya is also a Bhumihar and the community votes may get divided. Tanveer is banking on the traditional Muslim-Yadav vote bank of the party but then again, the Muslim votes may also go to Kanhaiya.
KENDRAPURA | ODISHAKey contenders: Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda (BJP), Anubhav Mohanty (BJD).
In 2014, Baijayant Panda, BJD (52.7% vote share), beat Dharanidhar Nayak, Cong (34.4%), by 2 lakh votes.
This is a prestige battle between CM Naveen Patnaik and his friend-turnedmfoe Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, who crossed over to BJP last month. The BJD candidate is popular actor and Rajya Sabha member Anubhav Mohanty. Naveen’s father Biju Patnaik won the seat thrice, in 1977, 1980 and 1984.
KANPUR| UPKey contenders: Ram Kumar (SP), Sriprakash Jaiswal (Cong), Satyadev Pachauri (BJP).
In 2014, MM Joshi, BJP (56.8%), beat Sriprakash Jaiswal, Cong (30.1%), by 2.2 lakh votes.
Satyadev Pachauri Often called the industrial hub of UP, Kanpur is coveted by political bigwigs. The seat was won by BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi who has been denied a ticket this time. Joshi has been replaced by Satyadev Pachauri, a Brahmin, who will be up against Congress strongman Sriprakash Jaiswal. The latter had served as Kanpur mayor in the late 1980s until he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kanpur in 1993. He again won the seat in 2004 and 2009. A former Union minister, he had found himself in the middle of a coal scam and eventually, lost to Joshi in 2014.
FARRUKHABAD | UPKey contenders: Salman Khurshid (Cong), Manoj Agarwal (BSP), Mukesh Rajput (BJP).
In 2014, Mukesh Rajput, BJP (41.8%), beat Rameshwar Singh Yadav, SP (26.3), by over 1.5 lakh votes.
Salman KhurshidSalman Khurshid is in a triangular contest on his home turf, where he will take on the Modi popularity factor and the power of the gathbandhan. While the former minister is counting on the Muslim vote — the community has a little over 14% here — the electors will thrown in their lot only with the candidate best placed to defeat BJP. A split in the Muslim vote would only help BJP. The other chunk of votes, from Yadavs, is being wooed by BJP. The Yadavs may not go with BSP, and Khurshid has been trying hard to garner their support.
CHHINDWARA | MPKey contenders: Nakul Nath (Cong), N Kawreti (BJP).
In 2014, Kamal Nath, Cong (50.5%), beat Chandrabhan Singh, BJP (40.0%), by 1.1 lakh votes.
Nakul NathChhindwara has been Kamal Nath’s bastion for nearly 40 years and now he passes on the baton to his son Nakul. “Tear his clothes if he doesn’t
work,” Nath senior has told voters. The seat withstood the Modi wave in 2014, though four assembly segments voted for BJP. This time, BJP candidate Kavreti, a tribal connected to RSS, is likely to find it hard to hold on to them.