May 20, marks the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections and the voting for this pase began at 7am. The voting in this phase spans across 49 constituencies across eight states and union territories, with several prominent candidates contesting from the various constituencies. The states and union territories participating in the 5th phase are Jharkhand (3), Odisha (5), Uttar Pradesh (14), Bihar (5), Maharashtra (13), West Bengal (7), Ladakh (1), and Jammu and Kashmir (1). Once voting concludes in these 49 constituencies, a total of 428 out of the Lok Sabha’s 543 seats will have been contested since the elections began on April 19.
One of the key constituencies that is undergoing the voting in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections is the Raebareli constituency. On the occasion of polling in the constituency, NewsX was joined exclusively by BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh who is contesting from the Raebareli constituency. Talking aboout his perspective onthe competition from the opposition party and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy from Raebareli, he asserted that the Congress leader had come to his home constituency to contest elections and not the other way round. “This time, Rahul Gandhi is in front of me? Or am I in front of Rahul Gandhi? It’s not like that. Rahul Gandhi has come to Rae Bareli, not me,” he remarked expressing that Rahul Gandhi was not his competion, in fact, he was Rahul Gandhi’s competition.
#WhosWinning2024 | ‘Rahul Gandhi has come to Rae Bareli, not me. They ask for votes in the name of their Indira Gandhi, dad Rajiv Gandhi, not with his own grandfather Feroze Gandhi,’ says Dinesh Pratap Singh, BJP candidate from Rae Bareli, as he speaks with Anand Singh on the key… pic.twitter.com/VvY4LBVYYe
— NewsX World (@NewsX) May 20, 2024
In the last elections held in the year 2019, the difference between the victory and Sonia Gandhi was one lac sixty-six thousand and this time it was Rahul Gandhi instead of Sonia Gandhi contesting for the Raebareli seat. Upon being asked if he saw Rahul Gandhi as a competition in this year’s Lok Sabha Elections, Singh stated that he was the son of Raibareli and that the people of Raibareli were in complete support of their son. He also added, “with the blessings of Prime Minister Modi, I have been very successful in serving the people of Raibareli. So, they do not need help from somebody else’s son.”
“They ask for votes in the name of their mother, Indira Gandhi, dad Rajiv Gandhi, not with his own grandfather Feroze Gandhi.” Talking about his mention of Firoze Gandhi earlier, he added that if Firoze Gandhi was actually Rahul Gandhi’s grandfather and if he was the first MP from Raebareli, why did the Congress leader never mention his name while campaigning for elections and while garnering support of the people of the country.
As the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections unfolds, the significance of each constituency is magnified, particularly in high-stakes areas like Raebareli. With voting in full swing across 49 constituencies spanning eight states and union territories, this phase is critical in shaping the next government. The conclusion of this phase will see 428 out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats contested, marking a significant milestone in the electoral process. With over 8.95 crore voters expected to participate, the results of this phase could be pivotal in determining the political landscape of India.
