 "Phase 7 Lok Sabha polls: Who are the six candidates contesting against PM Modi in Varanasi?")
The seventh and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is being held today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among the big names that will contest.
Modi will yet again contest from Varanasi – his third time after the 2014 and 2019 polls.
Modi defeated Arvind Kejriwal by a massive margin of 3.37 lakh votes in 2014 and handily beat out the SP-BSP Mahagathbandhan candidate Shalini Yadav in 2019 by an even more impressive margin of 4.80 lakh votes.
Modi had to face 41 candidates in 2014 and 26 opponents in 2019.
This time, Modi is one of seven candidates in the fray.
But who are his competitors?
Let’s take a closer look:
Ajay Rai (Congress)
Rai is hoping the third time is the charm.
According to Moneycontrol, this is the Congress candidate’s third attempt to get elected from Varanasi.
Rai, 53, kicked off his political career in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Rai, a ‘karyakarta’, then became the convener of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) – the BJP’s student wing.
Rai was then elected to the UP Assembly on a BJP ticket in 1996, 2002 and 2007 from Varanasi’s Kolasla.
However, Rai quit the BJP after being denied a Lok Sabha ticket in 2009.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRai has movable assets of Rs 6.66 lakh and immovable assets worth Rs 1.25 crore.
According to Deccan Herald, Rai has been booked in 18 cases.
This time, he has been put up as the INDIA bloc candidate.
According to Indian Express, Rai was appointed as the Congress’ Uttar Pradesh chief in August.
He replaced former Rajya Sabha member Brijlal Khabri.
Kolisetty Shiva Kumar (Yuga Thulasi Party)
Hailing from Hyderabad, Kumar is an ex-board member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
Kumar told Indian Express he has worked on cow protection throughout his life and owns three gaushalas in Hyderabad that shelter 1,500 cows.
Kumar and the Yuga Thulasi Party have been embroiled in a spat with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Hyderabad.
Kumar’s main demand is that the cow be declared India’s national animal, as per Deccan Herald.
Kumar has movable assets worth Rs 36.19 lakh and immovable assets of Rs 2.02 crore.
There is some controversy over Kumar’s candidacy.
Two people have filed complaints against Kumar accusing him of fraudulently using copies of their Aadhaar cards to enlist them as his proposers for the poll, as per Indian Express.
One Manju Devi and her brother-in-law Mahesh from Varanasi’s Sonerpura have made the allegations against Kumar.
Indian Express quoted Station House Officer VK Shukla as saying, “We’ve received two complaints – from Manju Devi and her brother-in-law Mahesh Sahni, levelling similar charges. Thus, two FIRs have been registered against Kumar. Complainants have alleged that Kumar fraudulently acquired their Aadhaar cards and utilised them as his proposers in the election.”
Ather Jamal Lari (Bahujan Samaj Party)
According to Economic Times, Lari has decades of political experience.
He was previously with the Janata Dal, Apna Dal, and Qaumi Ekta Dal.
He was also briefly with the Samajwadi Party prior to the 2022 polls.
A resident of Varanasi, Lari is a loom owner.
As per Indian Express, Lari has been associated with socialist politics since the 1960s.
He was a student leader who won the 1971 polls at Gorakhpur’s DAV Inter College.
Lari told the newspaper he was among those “forced to go underground” during the Emergency.
Lari in 1977 joined the newly-formed Janata Party – in which he held several positions.
Lari has fought several polls in Varanasi but is yet to win one.
Lari has movable assets worth Rs 6.52 lakh and immovable assets worth Rs 1.8 crore.
He has 1 case against him.
Gagan Prakash Yadav, (Apna Dal, Kameravadi)
Yadav is an Apna Dal (K) candidate.
The party, headed up by MLA Pallavi Patel, split from the Samajwadi Party over a purported lack of representation to Dalits, Backward and minority communities, as per Moneycontrol.
Yadav has not been on the campaign trail since his brother passed away in a road accident a few days ago.
According to Deccan Herald, Yadav himself left the Samajwadi Party recently.
Yadav has five cases against him.
He has movable assets worth Rs 19.16 lakh and immovable assets:valued at Rs 66 lakh.
Dinesh Kumar Yadav (Independent)
Yadav is a three-time corporator from Varanasi’s Sikraul.
He has been involved in politics over the past decade.
He was previously with the BJP – until he filed his nomination.
He told Indian Express he decided to contest “under democratic principles of the country."
“I am fighting because there is democracy in the country,” said Yadav.
However, BJP regional media in-charge Navratan Rathi denied Kumar’s affiliation with the BJP.
“I have not heard this name,” Rathi said.
Yadav has movable assets worth Rs 16.40 lakh and immovable assets valued at Rs 10 lakh.
Yadav has no cases against him.
Sanjay Kumar Tiwari (Independent)
Tiwari is a social worker based in New Delhi.
He has partipated in workers’ rights movements.
“I have not been directly associated with any party, but I worked with them as an intellectual,” Tiwari told Indian Express.
As per Deccan Herald, Tiwari is a believer in Gandhian philosophy and a critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tiwari has movable assets worth Rs 11.46 lakh and immovable assets valued at Rs 29 lakh.
With inputs from agencies
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