In the fifth and biggest round of India's nine-phase national elections, 121 constituencies across 12 states and union territories will vote today.
Here's a look at the top 10 heavyweights:
Jyotiraditya Scindia: The Union Power Minister faces a stiff challenge in Guna from the BJP's Jaibhan Singh Pavaiya, former president of the Bajrang Dal, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, or the RSS. Mr Pavaiya is a former MP, who had forced Jyotiraditya's father Madhavrao to shift to Guna from Gwalior after forcing him to sweat it out for a narrow victory in 1998. In 1999, Mr Pavaiya became the MP from Gwalior. (India Votes 2014: Coverage)
Baijayant Panda: Popularly known as Jay Panda, he is the suave, erudite face of the Biju Janata Dal in the Lok Sabha. He made his debut in the Lok Sabha in 2009 by bagging the Kendrapara seat, and is locked in a triangular contest with Bishnu Prasad Das of the BJP and Dharanidhar Nayak of the Congress to retain the constituency. (121 seats in 12 states go to polls today in phase 5)
Jaswant Singh: A nine-term MP from the BJP, Mr Singh was forced to contest as an independent from Barmer after he was denied a ticket by his old party. He faces Col Sonaram Chowdhury, a recent Congress import who pipped Mr Singh to walk away with the BJP ticket. (India Votes 2014: Schedule)
Maneka Gandhi: The late Sanjay Gandhi's wife returns to her old constituency of Pilibhit after her son, Varun shifted to Sultanpur. The former union minister and animal rights activist has won the seat five times in the past. She finds herself in a four-cornered contest with the BSP's Anis Ahmed, Sanjay Kapoor (Congress) and Budhsena Verma of the Samajwadi Party.
Ashok Chavan: Senior Congress leader who had resign from the Maharashtra chief minister's post in 2010 after his name cropped up in Adarsh Housing Society scam. He has been nominated from Nanded, where he challenges the sitting MP, DB Patil of the BJP.
Supriya Sule: NCP strongman Sharad Pawar's daughter has been renominated from Baramati, a constituency which sent her father to the Lok Sabha six times in the past. She faces a difficult contest as this time her main opponent, Mahadev Jankar, has the backing of the 'Maha Yukti' (the grand alliance) put in place by the Shiv Sena-BJP combine in Maharashtra. (India Votes 2014: Candidates)
Gopinath Munde: The BJP's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and former Maharashtra deputy chief minister has been renominated from Beed in the Marathwada region. He is locked in a straight fight with state minister Suresh Dhas of the NCP. Mr Munde has enlisted the support of Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
Ghulam Nabi Azad: The union health and family welfare minister is contesting the first Lok Sabha election from a constituency in his home state Jammu and Kashmir. He faces off with the BJP's Jitendra Singh Rana in Udhampur.
Ajit Jogi: The former Chhattisgarh chief minister was asked by his party, the Congress to take on the BJP's sitting MP Chandulal Sahu from Mahasamund in Chhattisgarh.(Read: 10 key contests in phase 5 of Lok Sabha election)
Shatrughan Sinha: The actor-turned-politician is fighting with his back to the wall to retain Patna Saheb. He is being challenged by a popular Bhojpuri film actor Kunal Singh, who has been fielded by the Congress, Dr G P Sinha of the Janata Dal (United) and former minister Parveen Amanullah of the Aam Aadmi Party.
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