From TikTok stars to sports icons: Know the unique candidates in assembly polls

In the recently concluded assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, both states witnessed a wide range of candidates taking part in the polls. As BJP aims to win a second term and Congress hoping for a revival of sorts, it remains to be seen whether these candidates can turn their fortunes.

Hyderabad:In the recently concluded assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, both states witnessed a wide range of candidates taking part in the polls. Starting from participants from a family of politicians to Big Boss participants, actors, wrestler, cricketer and TikTok queen, etc contested the elections.

Maharashtra

Deepali Sayyad:Marathi actress Deepali, who was also unsuccessful in the Lok Sabha polls on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket, has of late joined the Shiv Sena. She was nominated from Mumbra-Kalwa against the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA and former minister Jitendra Ahwad. He is a close aide of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Abhijeet Bichukale: Marathi 'Bigg Boss' participant Abhijeet contested against Shiv Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray from Worli.

Ajaz Khan: 'Bigg Boss' fame actor Ajaz Khan, contested from the Byculla seat in Mumbai as an independent candidate taking on a lawyer and sitting AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan.

Geeta Gawli: Daughter of jailed underworld don Arun Gawli, a former MLA was in the fray from Byculla. Geeta of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena was supported by Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, a party founded by Prakash Ambedkar on March 20, 2018.

Then there were other candidates who belonged to the same families but contesting against each other. Munde cousins fought it out in the Parli seat of Beed district in the Marathwada region.

Sitting BJP MLA and rural development minister Pankaja Munde and NCP's Dhananjay Munde are first cousins. Pankaja fought against Dhananjay, who is the leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

In the Beed constituency, the NCP fielded Sandeep Kshirsagar against his uncle Jaydutt Kshirsagar, who quit the Sharad Pawar-led party and joined the Shiv Sena. Jaydutt Kshirsagar is the state employment guarantee minister.

Haryana:

Yogeshwar Dutt: The Olympic gold medallist Yogeshwar (wrestler) of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) candidate from Baroda recently said that he wanted to enter politics to serve the people in his state. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for guiding him.

Geeta Gawli

Babita Phogat and Sandeep Singh:The BJP also fielded Commonwealth gold medalist Babita Phogat and former Indian Hockey captain Sandeep Singh, from the seats the party has never won. Babita Phogat contested from Dadri and Sandeep Singh from Pehowa Assembly constituencies.

Babita Phogat

Sonali Phogat:TikTok sensation Sonali Phogat contested the assembly election, representing the BJP in Adampur. She was up against senior Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi. Bishnoi is a three-time sitting legislator from the constituency and also the son of former chief minister late Bhajan Lal.

Deepali Sayyad

As BJP aims to win a second term and Congress hoping for a revival of sorts, it remains to be seen whether these candidates can turn their fortunes.