Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Hema Malini, who transitioned from acting to politics, for the Mathura Lok Sabha seat for the third consecutive term.
With approximately 35 percent of voters belonging to the Jat community in Mathura, Hema Malini is viewed as the preferred candidate. Additionally, the BJP is gaining support from Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Jayant Chaudhary for the elections. The Mathura Lok Sabha seat holds significant importance for the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the party aims to maintain its stronghold in this constituency.
In Mathura, located along the Yamuna river, where approximately 35 percent of the voters are from the Jat community, Hema Malini, the wife of actor Dharmendra Deol, is regarded as the daughter-in-law of the Jats.
The Mathura seat has witnessed elections 17 times, with candidates from the Jat community emerging victorious 12 times. From 1991 to 1999, the BJP secured victory in Mathura four times, establishing it as their stronghold. However, in 2004, Mathura was won by the Congress party. Subsequently, in 2009, RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary became the Member of Parliament from Mathura.
In 2014, the BJP nominated Hema Malini, who emerged victorious. In the 2019 elections, actor Dharmendra, Hema’s husband, campaigned for her and garnered significant support from the public. With the implementation of public welfare schemes by the double-engine government, the lotus once again blossomed in Mathura in 2019, securing Hema Malini’s position as an MP.
Throughout her tenures, Hema Malini has remained actively engaged in her political duties. Political analysts speculate that with the potential inclusion of RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary in the NDA, the BJP will not only gain support from Jat voters in Mathura and parts of western Uttar Pradesh but also stand to benefit in Haryana and other regions. Interestingly, in the 2014 Mathura election, Hema defeated Jayant by over 3 lakh votes.
Uttar Pradesh, which contributes the highest number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will undergo voting across all seven phases. The voting for phases one and two is scheduled for April 19 and April 26. Subsequently, the state will conduct polling once more in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13. The Uttar Pradesh electorate will also participate in phases five, six, and seven on May 20, May 23, and June 1, respectively.
Mathura is slated to go to the polls in the second phase of the general elections on April 26. The general elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will take place in seven phases, commencing on April 19. Vote counting is scheduled for June 4.