LS polls: Khurshid, Azhar, Dimple enter fray

New Delhi, Apr 3: Union minister Salman Khurshid, former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin, UP Chief Minister's wife Dimple Yadav and PMK president G K Mani were among the notable candidates who entered the fray on Thursday as filing of nominations for 6th and 7th phases of Lok Sabha polls gathered steam.

Death row prisoner Balwant Singh Rajoana's sister Kamaldeep Kaur and Puducherry CPI-M secretary R Vishwanathan were among a large of hopefuls who also entered the race as the deadline for filing of papers draws closer. External Affairs minister and Congress veteran Khurshid filed his papers from Farukhabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh which goes to hustings on April 24.

Besides, him independent candidates Manju and Brahmsaran also entered the fray. Cricketer-turned-politician Azharuddin was among 16 candidates who submitted their documents for five Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan which will go to polls on April 24.

Azharuddin filed his papers for Tonk-Sawaimadhopur seat. He is pitted against BJP's Sukhbir Singh Jaunpuria. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's wife and MP Dimple filed her papers for Kannuaj Lok Sabha constituency in the state.

Kamaldeep Kaur, sister of Rajoana who is on death row in the Beant Singh assassination case, entered the fray as an Independent from Patiala Lok Sabha seat.

As many as 139 candidates, most of them from smaller parties and Independents, filed their papers for April 24 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu. Prominent among those are PMK president G K Mani and Puthiya Thamizhagam founder-leader K Krishnasamy. Mani filed his papers for Krishnagiri constituency and Krishnasamy, who left the AIADMK alliance and joined the DMK-fold, for Tenkasi (SC) seat.

Former Agriculture Minister and Puducherry CPI Secretary Viswanathan was among seven candidates who filed their papers for the lone seat from the Union Territory.

As many as 12 candidates entered the fray on the second day of filing of nominations for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. The filing of nomination will continue till April 5 for the sixth phase and April 9 for 7th round.

PTI