The BJP revealed its fifth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday. They decided to switch things up in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, dropping Varun Gandhi and instead nominating his mother, Maneka Gandhi. Maneka Gandhi will now be contesting from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Gandhi replaced with former Congress leader Jitin Prasada
In a surprising move, the party chose to replace Varun Gandhi with former Congress leader Jitin Prasada for the Pilibhit seat. Jitin Prasada, who joined the BJP in 2021, had faced difficulties within the Congress, especially in his hometown of Lakhimpur Khiri in Uttar Pradesh. Despite once being close to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Prasada decided to leave the party due to feeling overlooked.
In another development, industrialist and former Congress MP Naveen Jindal, who recently joined the BJP, will be contesting from the Kurukshetra seat in Haryana.
Kangana Ranaut to contest from Mandi
The BJP's list also includes actress Kangana Ranaut as a candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh, marking a surprising move in her political journey. Additionally, Rekha Patra, a protest leader from Sandeshkhali, has been nominated by the BJP for the Bashirhat Lok Sabha constituency.
The party has also fielded veteran actor Arun Govil, who played the character of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's 'Ramayan' from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut.
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