Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigns for BJP candidate Arun Govil in Meerut. PTI
Neeraj Mohan
New Delhi, April 24
As the curtains fell on the campaigning for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, political fervour reached its zenith with candidates holding roadshows and rallies.
The stage is now set for a fierce showdown between the ruling BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc. With the first phase witnessing a dip in polling percentage, there is an air of anticipation over voter turnout in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Holding roadshows, rallies, corner meetings and door-to-door campaigns, the contenders made the last-ditch efforts on Wednesday to sway voters in their favour.
In the second phase on April 26, the polling will be held for 13 seats in Rajasthan and eight seats in western Uttar Pradesh.
With the polling has already been completed on 12 seats in Rajasthan in the first phase, the remaining 13 seats — Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota, and Jhalawar-Baran — will see voting on Friday. All these seats were won by the BJP in 2019, but this time the INDIA bloc is giving a tough fight to the BJP in several seats, including Barmer and Banswara.
BJP’s star campaigner Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut campaigned for party candidates amid scorching heat. Wearing saffron turban, scarf and sunglasses, she participated in roadshows in an open vehicle in support of party candidates from Barmer and Pali seats.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hit the campaign trail to support his son Vaibhav Gehlot, the Congress candidate from the Jalore-Sirohi Lok Sabha seat.
Another Congress leader Sachin Pilot addressed rallies in Tonk, Bundi and Swai Madhopur on the last day of the campaigning.
Even WWE wrestler Khali was seen on Wednesday on the streets of Barmer as he accompanied BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Kailash Choudhary, who is locked in an intense triangular contest with Umeedha Ram Beniwal of the Congress and Independent nominee Ravinder Singh Bhati.
In Uttar Pradesh, the voting will be held for Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura constituencies. Among the prominent contenders are actress Hema Malini from Mathura, actor Arun Govil from Meerut, Congress’ Danish Ali from Amroha and BJP’s Atul Garg from Ghaziabad. These candidates toured their respective constituencies, connecting with voters and seeking their support.
Among the eight constituencies going to the polls in this phase, the BJP had won seven seats in the 2019 elections while BSP’s Danish Ali had won from Amroha. But this time Danish Ali is contesting on a Congress ticket.
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