Hema Malini and Yogi Adityanath prayed at a temple before filing her nomination papers For Mathura
Hema Malini, seeking re-election as the BJP candidate from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, visited a temple today along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath before filing her documents for the national election. Mathura will vote in round 2 of the staggered election, on April 18.
Hema Malini, 70, and Yogi Adityanath were seen praying as a priest performed elaborate rituals. The sight of candidates at temples is not unusual in election season, when every step is taken with care and caution.
The veteran film star-turned-BJP leader is contesting from Mathura for the second time. In 2014, she defeated Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) by a huge margin.
There was speculation that she would be moved to Fatehpur Sikri, but the actor, who is also a renowned danseuse, according to reports, conveyed to her party that she would prefer to contest from the land of Radha and Krishna.
After she was named for Mathura, Hema Malini said, according to news agency ANI: "People wanted me to contest from here again. I am thankful to Amit Shah ji and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji for choosing me again. I will work hard and bring development to the area. I am not like other politicians, people here like my work."
The BJP is confident that even with an opposition alliance taking on the ruling party jointly, its candidate is no match for Hema Malini's star power.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)'s Kunwar Narendra Singh is the gathbandhan's nominee. A former royal, he has lost two assembly elections in Mathura. His older brother has been an MP from Mathura in the past.
The Congress has fielded Mahesh Pathak, an industrialist who contested from Mathura in 1998 and lost.
Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state with 80 parliamentary seats, will vote in all seven rounds of the national election in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking reelection.