Will star power help celebs grab power this election season?

The 2019 Lok Sabha election is another star-studded affair, but on campaign trail, their stock-in-trade goes beyond looking sharp and emoting wellit involves being accessible for selfies, for exampleTHE NEWCOMERS They are hoping to open their maiden political inning with a bangPrakash Raj, 54.preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}IndependentThe National Award-winning actor and vocal BJP critic is a candidate from Bangalore Central.The national parties have failed the people. Karnataka is ready for alternative politicsNusrat Jahan, 29TrinamoolThe Mamata Banerjee loyalist is wooing Hindu voters in Basirhatotherwise a tough task for Muslim candidates given the strong polarisation of votes.Urmila Matondkar, 49CongressThe party is banking on Urmila’s Marathi girl’ identity to unseat the BJP’s Gopal Shetty, the sitting MP from Mumbai North.I felt the need to join the Congress as the freedom to express is under attackSumalatha Ambarish, 55IndependentActress and wife of late Kannada star Ambarish; she’s contesting from Mandya in Karnataka.He (Ambarish) is my inspiration to take the political plungeDinesh Lal Yadav alias Nirahua, 40BJPThe Bhojpuri actor-singer has switched loyalties from the Samajwadi Party to the BJP. He is contesting against SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Azamgarh and hopes his fans will dent the SP’s Yadav vote.I respect Akhilesh Yadav, but I want Narendra Modi to become PM againAmol Kolhe, 36Nationalist Congress PartyThe actor switched from the Shiv Sena to the NCP this February; faces Sena MP S.A. Patil in Shirur, Maharashtra.Sharad Pawar alone can provide guidance and leadership to national politics and the energy of the youthNikhil Kumaraswamy, 29Janata Dal (Secular)The Kannada film actor and son of state chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy is challenging Sumalatha Ambarish in Mandya.Suresh Gopi, 59BJPThe Rajya Sabha MP and former film star has been fielded from Thrissur in Kerala, where he is up against the Congress’s T.N. Prathapan and the CPI’s Rajaji Thomas.Locket Chatterjee, 45BJPThe feisty actor is the didi’ of the BJP brigade and the president of the party’s women’s wing. The BJP’s Hooghly candidate is often seen cycling door to door seeking votes and taking part in processions without any security.Others in the fray: Sunny Deol, 62, BJP, Gurdaspur; Mimi Chakrabarty, 30, Trinamool Congress, Jadavpur; Konidela Nagendra Babu, 57, Jana Sena Party, Narsapuram (Andhra Pradesh)THE VETERANSThose who have demonstrated that they have what it takes to win over votersShatrughan Sinha, 72CongressSinha quit the BJP to join the Congress. He is fighting from Bihar’s Patna Sahiba seat he won in the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket.Raj Babbar, 66CongressThe three-time MP (Agra and Firozabad) is contesting from UP’s Fatehpur Sikri, where he faces the BSP’s Shribhagwan Sharma and BJP’s Rajkumar Chahar.Jaya Prada, 57BJPThe two-time Rampur MP quit the Samajwadi Party to fight the seat on a BJP ticket; she is embroiled in an acerbic contest with the SP’s Azam Khan. The BJP hopes she can swing the Hindu vote in its favour.SECOND TO NONEBabul Supriyo, 48BJPThe Union minister has a tough battle in Asansol with the TMC fielding Moon Moon Sen, 69. In 2014, Modi campaigned for him with the call, Mujhe Babul chahiye’. Will it work again?Mahagathbandhan is an alliance of corrupt leaders who are either in jail or out on bailInnocent, 71CPI(M)The popular comedian is seeking a second term from Kerala’s Chalakkudy, which he won in 2014 as an Independent backed by the Left Democratic Front.Published By: Nishtha GuptaPublished On: Apr 26, 2019--- ENDS ---

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Will star power help celebs grab power this election season?

The 2019 Lok Sabha election is another star-studded affair, but on campaign trail, their stock-in-trade goes beyond looking sharp and emoting well—it involves being accessible for selfies, for example

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