The second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections begins this Friday, putting the spotlight on key constituencies that will have a huge impact on shaping the future of the country.
Let’s take a look at the key races in the 13 states in this phase that could determine the outcome in June.
Wayanad: Rahul Gandhi (Congress) vs K Surendran (BJP)
Rahul Gandhi has grown as a party leader over the past five years, becoming what party insiders describe as the party’s “ideological compass.”
Wayanad will be the first test for the elder Gandhi brother, who will decide whether his bet to champion the cause of social justice will win him votes and seats in the Congress and opposition parties.
Against him stands K Surendran, the rebellious Kerala BJP leader who has vowed to take over the Congress bastion from Gandhi.
Bangalore South: Tejasvi Surya (BJP) vs Sowmya Reddy (Congress)
Tejasvi Surya rose to power in the southern region of India’s Silicon Valley five years ago, appealing to the public with his charismatic charm.
But this election they face a completely different challenge in retaining their seats, as they will be evaluated based on their performance over the past five years.
He will be competing against Soumya Reddy, the current general secretary of the All India Mahila Congress. Soumya will likely place his faith in the fact that the Congress was voted to power in the state exactly a year ago.
However, in the national elections, the constituency generally tilted towards saffron.
Thiruvananthapuram: Shashi Tharoor (Congress) vs Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BJP)
The Kerala capital is a favorable constituency for the Congress, with Shashi Tharoor winning the election for the third time in a row.
This year, things may turn out a little differently. Factors such as voter fatigue with Tharoor and local candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar could play a role.
Kota: Om Birla (BJP) vs Prahlad Gunjal (Congress)
In contrast to the Kerala capital, Kota has been a BJP stronghold in the last two elections, and current speaker Om Birla, who has held the seat since 2014, is aiming for a hat-trick of his own. There is.
Opposing him is Prahalad Gunjal, a former MLA from Kota North who joined the INC only recently.
Mathura: Hema Malini (BJP) vs Mukesh Dhangal (Congress)
The veteran actress had won the constituency in 2014, defeating Congress MP Jayant Chaudhary.
While the dream girl of Bollywood is aiming for a second consecutive victory, UP Congress president Mukesh Dhangal is against it.
(issued April 25, 2024, 02:50 IST)
