New Delhi: Political heavyweights Sonia Gandhi, L K Advani and H D Deve Gowda are among 1,567 candidates whose fate would be decided by voters in the third phase of elections to Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Over 14.4 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase to elect 107 MPs to the lower house of Parliament. Election would also be held on Thursday to the 32-member Sikkim legislative assembly.
Polling would be held amid tight security in 1.65 lakh booths from 0700 hrs across nine states and two union territories.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election from the Lok Sabha constituency of Rae Barelli. She had moved to this seat from Amethi in 2004 when her son Rahul Gandhi entered the election arena. Rae Barelli was represented by her mother-in-law late Indira Gandhi in 1980.
Advani, who has been named the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, has represented Gandhinagar seat since 1991.
Prominent candidates in the fray in the third phase include JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, Congress' Milind Deora and Priya Dutt, Shiv Sena's Mohan Rawle, BJP leaders Ram Naik and Kirit Somaiya, former Karnataka chief minister S Bangarappa, union ministers Sriprakash Jaiswal and Jyotiraditya Scindia and actor-turned-politician Ambareesh.
Polling for 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be completed in one go.