Top politicians, celebrities, spiritual leaders to spice up campaigning in MP

A mix of top politicians, film stars, celebrities and Hindu spiritual leaders will spice up the campaigning scene in Madhya Pradesh, which will vote in four phases beginning on April 29 for its 29 Lok Sabha constituencies. The BJP list comprises 40-star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, film star-turned-politician Hema Malini, Union minister Smriti Irani, Bhojpuri actor-singer and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari.

The Congress list, too, has 40-star campaigners, including party president Rahul Gandhi, general secretary Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and actors Govinda and Nagma. Interestingly, the BJP list also includes outgoing Lok Sabha Speaker and Indore MP Sumitra Mahajan who has decided not to contest polls.

Besides, Union ministers Sushma Swaraj and Uma Bharti, who are also not contesting elections, will campaign for BJP candidates in Madhya Pradesh, where the saffron outfit had won 27 of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. For the Congress, Hindu spiritual leaders Computer Baba aka Namdeo Das Tyagi, Acharya Pramod Krashnam and Sadhvi Sadhana Bharti will seek votes for party candidates. Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu will also campaign for the Congress in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)