FATE OF 5 MODI MINISTERS AT STAKE IN 14 UP SEATS

INDIA bloc partners Cong contesting on 2, SP 12; BSP going it alone

- NAMITA BAJPAI

THe political heartland of india will witness voting on 14 seats, including a couple of high-profile constituencies and fate of five Union ministers, in the fifth phase on may 20.

The 14 seats comprise not only Congress citadels — Rae Bareli and amethi — but also ayodhya, the nerve centre of BJP’s Hindutva plank. in fact, this phase will decide the tone and tenor of the sixth and seventh rounds, which will be concentrated across 27 seats of Purvanchal . moreover, four constituencies of Bundelkhand will decide whether to let BJP achieve a hat-trick or vote for change.

The BJP had swept the phase in 2019 by winning 13 of the 14 seats in fray. While the BJP had wrested amethi from Congress, Sonia gandhi had retained Rae Bareli as the only party mP from UP in 2019. The SP and BSP drew a blank in 2019 and 2014. in 2024, while Congress is contesting on two seats, ally SP is contesting on rest 12 seats.

Rae Bareli 

One of the most prominent seats of fifth phase is set for a fight between Rahul Gandhi and BJP MLC and Yogi minister Dinesh Pratap Singh who had switched over to the saffron party in 2018. BSP has fielded an OBC nominee.

Amethi