Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju and Ajit Singh: A Look at Heavyweights in the Fray for Phase 1 Today

As voting begins for Phase 1 of Lok Sabha election 2019, several big names such as Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju and VK Singh are in the fray. Here’s a look at the heavyweights contesting in the first phase:

Nitin Gadkari: The Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways is BJP’s candidate from Nagpur. Gadkari faces BJP rebel Nana Patole, who has been fielded by the Congress

Kiren Rijiju: The Union Minister of State for Home is set for a tough contest on his home turf — Arunachal West. He will take on Congress candidate Nabam Tuki, a former chief minister, and the National People's Party's Khyoda Apik

VK Singh: Former army chief and junior minister in the External Affairs Ministry is pitted against Congress’s fielded Dolly Sharma and gathbandhan candidate Suresh Bansal from Ghaziabad in western Uttar Pradesh

Asaduddin Owaisi: The AIMIM chief is the sitting lawmaker from Hyderabad in Telangana and has held the Lok Sabha constituency since 2004

Renuka Chowdhury: The Congress candidate for Khammam Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh, the former minister will take on Devaki Vasudeva Rao of the BJP

Mahesh Sharma: The Union Culture Minister is the sitting lawmaker from Gautam Buddh Nagar. He will take on the BSP's Satveer Nagar and the Congress' Arvind Singh along with 10 other candidates.

Ajit Singh: The Rashtriya Lok Dal leader is the candidate of the Samajwadi Party-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh from Muzaffarnagar. He faces former Union minister Sanjiv Balyan of the BJP

Satyapal Singh: The Union Minister is pitted against RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary in Baghpat, western Uttar Pradesh. Singh had defeated Jayant’s father Ajit Singh in 2014

Chirag Paswan: The former actor and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader made his electoral debut from Jamui in Bihar five years ago. Several star campaigners of the BJP held rallies in Jamui for Paswan.

Gaurav Gogoi: Son of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and sitting lawmaker from Kaliabor, the Congress leader will take on Moni Madhab Mahanta from the Asom Gana Parishad.