Who are the Bhojpuri stars fielded by BJP in upcoming Lok Sabha polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, fielding several prominent leaders and Bhojpuri stars. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest from Varanasi, while Amit Shah will contest from Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Bhojpuri Stars Fielded by BJP

Four Bhojpuri actors have been fielded by the BJP in key constituencies:

• Manoj Tiwari - A two-time sitting MP from North East Delhi, will contest for the third time from the same seat. He is known for his victory in 2019 against former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
• Ravi Kishan - A well-known Bhojpuri actor, will contest from Gorakhpur, previously represented by UP CM Yogi Adityanath. He won the seat in 2019.
• Dinesh Lal Yadav alias Nirahua - A sitting MP from Azamgarh, will contest again from the same seat, which he won in the 2022 by-elections.
• Pawan Singh - Known for the hit Bhojpuri song "Lollipop Lagelu," will contest from West Bengal's Asansol, currently represented by TMC's Shatrughan Sinha.

BJP's Seat Distribution and Replacements

The BJP's list includes candidates for 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 24 in Madhya Pradesh, 20 in West Bengal, 15 each in Gujarat and Rajasthan, and several others across different states. Notably, the party has replaced 33 sitting MPs with new faces.