'Dream girl' Hema Malini becomes 'Mother India' as she harvests wheat ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Actress-turned-politician and BJP candidate from Mathura, Hema Malini, was photographed posing with farmers while harvesting wheat crops in the scorching heat. These images were captured during her campaign trail leading up to the Lok Sabha elections. The seasoned actress is seeking her third consecutive term representing Mathura in the Lok Sabha.

"Today I went into the farms to interact with the farmers who I have been meeting regularly these 10 years. They loved having me in their midst and insisted I pose with them which I did," wrote the Mathura MP on X.



With around 35 per cent of its voters belonging to the Jat community, Mathura presents Hema Malini as the frontrunner for the constituency. Additionally, the BJP has secured the support of Rashtriya Lok Dal's Jayant Chaudhary for the upcoming elections.

Out of the 17 elections held in Mathura, candidates from the Jat community have emerged victorious on 12 occasions. The BJP held a stronghold in Mathura four times from 1991 to 1999. However, in 2004, the seat was won by the Congress party. In 2009, Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal was elected as the Member of Parliament from Mathura.

During the 2014 elections, the BJP fielded Hema Malini, who emerged victorious. In 2019, her husband, actor Dharmendra, actively campaigned on her behalf, garnering significant public support. Due to the government's welfare schemes, Hema Malini retained her seat in 2019, symbolizing the victory of the lotus symbol once again in Mathura.

Political analysts speculate that with the inclusion of RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the BJP stands to gain not only the support of Jat voters in Mathura and parts of western Uttar Pradesh but also in Haryana and other regions. Notably, Hema Malini secured victory over Jayant by a margin of over 3 lakh votes in the Mathura seat during the 2014 elections.

Uttar Pradesh, a crucial state contributing the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will undergo voting across all seven phases of the elections.