Second phase Lok Sabha polls packed with star power

• Second phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 underway in 88 constituencies across India
• Notable candidates include Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Hema Malini, and Arun Govil
• The biggest chunk of seats are from two southern states - Kerala (20), Karnataka (14) - besides 13 seats in Rajasthan

Today marks the second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, with India polling in 88 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and Union Territories. Among the key contenders are candidates from both the BJP and the Congress, drawing significant attention from voters nationwide.

Highlighting the electoral landscape are prominent figures such as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, along with BJP stalwarts Hema Malini and Arun Govil. Notably, Arun Govil, renowned for portraying Lord Ram in the iconic TV show Ramayan, stands as a unique candidate in the fray.

Arun Govil is making his electoral debut as the BJP's nominee for the Meerut seat, contesting against Bahujan Samaj Party's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and Samajwadi Party's Sunita Verma. 

Rahul Gandhi, re-contesting the Wayanad seat from Kerala, faces contenders like CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. Gandhi, who won the Wayanad seat in the 2019 elections, retained his candidature despite losing Amethi to BJP's Smriti Irani.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is also hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. Meanwhile, BJP's Hema Malini is confident of hat-trick from Mathura seat, is currently challenged by Congress' Mukesh Dhangar. Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party.