Lok Sabha Elections 2024: First phase of polls sees Union mins, former CMs in fray

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Every voter across India is waiting with bated breaths as the nation goes into polls with the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 kicking off on April 19. The line-up for the first phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 has notable candidates, including Union ministers and former chief ministers who are vying for seats across various constituencies.

Eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers, and one ex-governor are among the candidates competing in the first phase of elections on April 19. This phase covers 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories, according to a PTI report.

Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is seeking a re-election from Maharashtra's Nagpur, aiming for a hattrick win while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju is contesting from Arunachal West seat and is going up against former chief minister Nabam Tuki, a PTI report stated.

Sarbanada Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, is seeking to return to the Lok Sabha from Dibrugarh in Assam. Similarly, Union Minister Sanjeev Baliyan is contesting Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Muzaffarnagar despite the complex caste dynamics prevalent within the constituency.

The notable contestants in other places include Jitendra Singh in Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, Bhupendra Yadav in Alwar (Rajasthan), and Arjun Ram Meghwal in Bikaner (Rajasthan). Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK leader A Raja will be contesting against L Murugan from the Niligiris while Karti Chidambaram is contesting the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Sivaganga, the news agency report stated.

Other notable candidate in Tamil Nadu includes Tamilisai Soundarajan who will be contesting from Chennai South.

Additionally, in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Manipur's Law and Education Minister Basanta Kumar Singh will be seen running against JNU professor Bimal Akoijam in Inner Manipur. Congress leader Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath has been fielded from their bastion Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh while former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi's son Gaurav will be contesting the polls from Jorhat.

The phase also has some intriguing matchups, such as Devendra Jhajharia versus Rahul Kaswan in Churu, Rajasthan. Kaswan, a former BJP member, adds suspense to the battle, the PTI report added.

Polling for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will take place in seven phases starting Friday until June 1 with votes counting on June 4.