New Delhi:
This sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections features several high-profile candidates, including Kanhaiya Kumar, the former president of the JNU student’s union, who is now contesting under a Congress banner. Joining him in the fray are BJP leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, and actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari.
A total of 889 candidates from six states and a Union territory will go to polls today. In the national capital Delhi, seven seats are up for grabs.
Here are the key battles in the sixth phase:
Manoj Tiwari vs Kanhaiya Kumar – Northeast Delhi
In Northeast Delhi, the incumbent MP Manoj Tiwari from the BJP is up against Kanhaiya Kumar, marking one of the most closely watched battles in this phase. Mr Tiwari has been a significant political presence in Delhi. Kanhaiya Kumar, having made a name for himself as a fiery student leader at JNU, joined the Congress in 2021. This election marks his second attempt at a Lok Sabha seat, following his 2019 campaign in Bihar’s Begusarai where he lost to Union Minister Giriraj Singh from the BJP.
Sambit Patra vs Arup Patnaik – Puri
In Odisha’s Puri, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra is contesting against BJD’s Arup Patnaik and Congress’ Jay Narayan Patnaik. Mr Patra recently sparked controversy with his statements, notably claiming that “Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” Arup Patnaik, a former Mumbai Police Commissioner, previously contested from Bhubaneswar in 2019, where he was defeated by BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi.
Manohar Lal Khattar vs Divyanshu Budhiraja – Karnal
Former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, a heavyweight in the BJP, is contesting from Karnal. Mr Khattar faces Congress’s Divyanshu Budhiraja for the Karnal seat. This contest is significant as Mr Khattar’s political experience and prominence in Haryana’s politics are being challenged by a younger opposition.
Bansuri Swaraj vs Somnath Bharti – New Delhi
In the New Delhi constituency, Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of former union minister Sushma Swaraj, is aiming to retain the seat for the BJP. She is up against AAP’s Somnath Bharti, a senior leader in the party. The incumbent MP, Meenakshi Lekhi, who secured a substantial victory margin in 2019, was not given a ticket this time.
Dharmendra Pradhan vs Pranab Prakash Das – Sambalpur
In Odisha’s Sambalpur, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan faces off against Pranab Prakash Das, the organisational secretary and second-in-command in Naveen Patnaik’s BJD. In 2019, the BJP’s victory margin was less than 1 per cent, equating to approximately 9,000 votes. In 2014, BJD won with a 3 per cent margin, and in 2009, Congress secured the seat with a 2 per cent margin.
