Political heavies, Bollywood biggies perk up poll battle

AGRA: One of the most high-profile and perhaps the most star-studded electoral battles will be fought in the Agra division that includes constituencies like Agra city, Mainpuri, Mathura, Etah, Firozabad and Fatehpur Sikri. Big names from both politics and Bollywood - like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Hema Malini and if the buzz is right, even 'Punjab da puttar' Sunny Deol - will be contesting from here. This, say observers, is bound to make the poll pitch an extremely interesting one.

'Dream girl' Hema Malini may be fielded by the BJP in Mathura while Sunny Deol, following his father Dharmendra's footsteps, may make his political debut on a BJP ticket from Fatehpuri Sikri. Even though party sources remained tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying the possibility of two members of the Deol family contesting from the region, the speculation has added spice to the poll mood. Many are excited but not everyone is convinced that it would be a good move to give tickets to Bollywood stars. "After elections are over, the stars go back to Bollywood. Who will listen to our problems then?" said Rishabh Bhaduria, who works with an organization in Fatehpur Sikri.

The region already has its fair share of political heavyweights like SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav who will contest from Mainpuri. The prevalent mood of disenchantment with the SP government may make the contest here a keenly fought one.

The Bahujan Samaj Party is fielding Sanghamitra Maurya, daughter of dalit leader and Mayawati confidante Swami Prasad Maurya from the seat while Baba Hardev Singh, AAP's nominee, is considered the only strong candidate from the party in the Agra division. Singh had earlier tried his luck from the Etmadpur assembly constituency in the last elections.

Other names in the fray include Amar Singh whose candidature from Fatehpur Sikri was finalized by the Rashtriya Lok Dal a few days ago, and former UP chief minister and BJP leader Kalyan Singh, who is expected to contest from Etah, a seat that he had won in the last elections.