Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 7: From Patna Sahib to Varanasi And Gurdaspur, Here Are Key Battles to Watch Out For In Final Round Of Voting

The final phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections will take place on May 19. The seven-phase Lok Sabha Elections began on April 11 and will culminate with the last round of voting this Sunday. A total of 59 constituencies will go to polls in the seventh round of voting. A lot of key politicians and constituencies are in the fray in the last of General Elections 2019. As the clock ticks for the final round, we at LatestLY bring you interesting/key battles to watch out for in Phase 7 of General Elections 2019.

Patna Sahib – Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) vs Shatrughan Sinha (Congress)

The battle of Patna Sahib will see senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad squaring off against BJP-turncoat and Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha, who is also the sitting MP from this Parliamentary constituency. In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, it was Sinha who won the seat by 485,905 votes in his favour, on a BJP ticket. The second-placed Congress’s Kunal Singh got 220,100 votes.

Given how the political dynamics have changed between BJP and Shatrughan Sinha in the last five years, it will be interesting to see which side the tide turns on May 23.

Pataliputra – Ram Kripal Yadav (BJP) vs Misa Bharti (RJD)

The quest of Pataliputra will witness old foes – BJP’s Ram Kripal Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti – go at it again in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.

In 2014 General Elections, it was Ram Kripal Yadav who defeated Misa Bharti by a comprehensive margin of 40,000 votes. The second-placed RJD’s Bharti had then got 342,940 votes in her favour. It will be intriguing to see if the newly shaped ‘Mahagathbandan’ is able to take on the resurgent ‘NDA’ alliance.

Karakat – Mahabali Singh (JD-U) vs Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP)

In Karakat, the contest in Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will be between JDU’s Mahabali Singh and RLSP’s chief Upendra Kushwaha, who is also the current MP in the constituency. In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, it was Kushwaha who won the elections by a margin of over 100,000 votes. The second-placed RJD’s Kanti Singh got 233,651 votes in his favour.

Kushwaha broke away from NDA alliance and is now a partner in Congress-led ‘Grand Alliance’. On the other hand, JDU’s Mahabali won the seat in 2009 elections, and the party has returned to the NDA fold again, which makes the battle more interesting.

Gurdaspur – Sunny Deol (BJP) vs Sunil Jakhar (Congress)

The battle of Gurdaspur will see actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol of BJP squaring off against seasoned politician Sunil Jakhar of the Congress, who recently won the bypoll in 2017 after the demise of Vinod Khanna.

In Lok Sabha Elections 2014, it was BJP’s Vinod Khanna who won the elections comfortably by a margin of over 125,000 votes. The second-placed Congress’ Partap Singh Bajwa had got 346,190 votes in his favour.

In 19 elections (including by-polls) that took place in Gurdaspur since 1952, Congress has won 15 of them. Will BJP’s newly-recruit be able to defeat Congress’ seasoned campaigner this time?

Watch: The Key Battles Of Phase 7 of General Elections 2019

Bathinda – Harsimrat Kaur Badal (SAD) vs Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (Congress)

The parliamentary constituency of Bathinda will see Amrinder Singh Raja of the Congress lock horns with SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is also the incumbent MP here. In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, it was Harsimrat Kaur who won the elections by a narrow margin of nearly 15,000 votes. The second-placed Congress’ Manpreet Singh Badal had then got 495,332 votes in his favour.

A lot has changed since then, and it will be a task for SAD-BJP to counter the anti-incumbency in the constituency. Will Congress win, or will AAP play a factor, is for time to tell.

Varanasi – Narendra Modi (BJP) vs Ajay Rai (Congress)

The mother of all battles in Phase 7 (and the final round) of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 is of the battle of Varanasi. It is only because PM Narendra Modi is contesting from the seat, and unlike 2014, it is his only seat this time.

In previous Lok Sabha Election, it was Narendra Modi who won the seat by a margin of over 350,000+ votes. The second-placed AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal had won 209,238 votes in his favour. There were speculations that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from Varanasi; however, those died as quickly as they surfaced.

Chandigarh – Kirron Kher (BJP) vs Pawan Kumar Bansal (Congress)

In another key battle in Lok Sabha Elections 2019, this time it will be between Congress veteran Pawan Kumar Bansal and BJP’s Kirron Kher, who is also the sitting MP in the parliamentary constituency of Chandigarh.

In 2014 Elections, it was Kirron Kher who won in the constituency by 191,362 votes. The second-placed Congress’ Bansal had secured 121,720 votes. AAP’s Gul Panag was the decisive factor as she had won 108,679 votes.

It will be interesting to see if the three-time MP from the region wrests his seat from Kirron Kher or she retains the seat.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 17, 2019 10:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).