Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Karan Bhushan Singh, Rahul Singh and Rohini Yadav
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are entering their final stages, with Phase 5 of the seven-phase process scheduled for Monday, May 20, 2024. A total of 49 constituencies across six states and two Union Territories will be voting in this phase. This phase features several high-profile candidates whose political futures will be decided, with results to be announced on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, as per the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) guidelines. Notable candidates include Rahul Gandhi, Smriti Irani, Rajnath Singh, and more.
Here are the top five key candidates in Phase 5 of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, whose outcomes will significantly impact their respective parties.
1. Rahul Gandhi, INC (Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh)
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent figure in Indian politics and the former Congress party president is contesting from Rae Bareli. Gandhi began his political career in 2004, winning the Amethi seat, which he held until losing to BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019. Despite his loss, he secured a seat from Wayanad, Kerala, in the same year. In 2024, Gandhi will contest from Rae Bareli, a constituency previously represented by his mother, Sonia Gandhi, who decided not to run this time.
2. Smriti Irani, BJP (Amethi, Uttar Pradesh)
Smriti Irani transitioned from acting to politics in 2003, joining the BJP. After an unsuccessful bid in 2004 from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, Irani contested and lost against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2014 but emerged victorious in 2019. She defeated Gandhi by 55,000 votes and will again run for the Amethi seat as a BJP candidate in 2024.
3. Rajnath Singh, BJP (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Rajnath Singh, a seasoned politician and two-time MP from Lucknow, seeks to retain his seat. Singh began his Lok Sabha tenure by winning from Ghaziabad in 2009, then shifted to Lucknow, securing victories in 2014 and 2019. Before his Lok Sabha career, Singh served as an MP in the Rajya Sabha and as an MLA in Uttar Pradesh on three occasions.
4. Karan Bhushan Singh, BJP (Kaiserganj, Uttar Pradesh)
Amidst controversy, Karan Bhushan Singh, son of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, is the BJP candidate from Kaiserganj. Brij Bhushan, accused of sexual harassment in 2023, did not receive the party ticket. Karan, currently the president of the Wrestling Association of Uttar Pradesh, faces criticism as many believe the power will remain with his father.
5. Rohini Acharya, RJD (Saran, Bihar)
Rohini Acharya, daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, is contesting her first major election from Saran as an I.N.D.I.A alliance candidate. She challenges BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a two-time MP from this constituency. Saran was once a stronghold of her father, and Acharya aims to reclaim it for the RJD.
The sixth phase of polling is scheduled for May 25, with the final phase on June 1. The election results will be announced on June 4.
