Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh, Omar Abdullah Among Key Candidates In Phase 5

A total of 49 constituencies across eight states are going to polls in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls today. In the fray this time are 695 candidates, including several political heavyweights from both the ruling BJP and the Opposition.

Here is a look at some key candidates in this phase: 

Rahul Gandhi: Among the most watched candidates in the fifth phase is Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting from Raebareli. A stronghold of the Gandhi family, Raebareli was earlier represented by Sonia Gandhi, who has now moved to Rajya Sabha. In the 20 times the Lok Sabha seat has gone to the polls, the Congress has won 17 times. This time, the BJP has fielded Uttar Pradesh minister and Legislative Council member Dinesh Pratap Singh against Mr Gandhi. Earlier a Congress leader, Mr Singh lost to Sonia Gandhi in the 2019 election by over 1.67 lakh votes.

Rajnath Singh: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is the BJP's candidate from Lucknow, a seat he won in the 2014 and the 2019 election. A veteran BJP leader who has worked as a minister in the cabinets of both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi, Mr Singh has been a member of both Houses of Parliament in his long political journey. The INDIA Opposition bloc has fielded Lucknow Central's Samajwadi Party MLA and former Uttar Pradesh minister Ravidas Mehrotra to take on the BJP veteran. Lucknow has been a BJP stronghold for over three decades now, with Mr Vajpayee winning for five times in a row, followed by veteran leader Lalji Tandon, before Mr Singh won it in the 2014 election that brought the BJP to power.

Smriti Irani: The firebrand BJP leader and Union minister is contesting again from Amethi, where she scored a stunning victory against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 election. Ms Irani has been campaigning extensively in Amethi and has said Mr Gandhi decided not to contest from there this time because he fears defeat. The Congress has fielded Kishori Lal Sharma, a Gandhi family loyalist, in the prestige seat. Mr Sharma has earlier worked as the MP's representative in Amethi and Rae Bareli. Amethi is a prestige seat for the Congress and has been represented by Rajiv Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the past. Leading the party's campaign in Amethi and Raebareli is Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Chirag Paswan: The 42-year-old leader is contesting from Bihar's Hajipur, a seat that elected his father, the late Ram Vilas Paswan, eight times. Mr Paswan's death in 2020 was followed by a fallout between Chirag Paswan and his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, who won the Hajipur seat in the 2019 election. In the run-up to this election, the BJP concluded that the significant chunk of Paswan votes is likely to rally behind Chirag Paswan. The BJP then forged an alliance with Chirag Paswan's party, offering it five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. His uncle, Pashupati Paras, resigned as Union minister in protest. However, he later said that he will support the NDA in the election.

Omar Abdullah: As Jammu and Kashmir votes in its first elections after it was stripped of its special status, bifurcated and turned into a Union Territory, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is in the poll arena. Mr Abdullah is contesting from the Baramulla seat, which was won by his party National Conference's Mohammad Akbar Lone in the 2019 election. The Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, which had a fallout with National Conference in the run-up to the polls, has fielded Rajya Sabha MP Fayaz Ahmad Mir in Baramulla. The third heavyweight in what is likely to be a three-way fight in Sajad Lone, who leads the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference and was also part of Gupkar Declaration, a front comprising NC, PDP, CPM, People's Conference and Awami National Conference, to demand the restoration of special status.