NEW DELHI: As India is holding the world’s largest democratic election in nine stages over six weeks, the Indian movie industry is also involved in the country`s politics and various bollywood celebrities are contesting the elections from the platform of various political parties.
Here are some of the actors-artist who are contesting the elections across India
Paresh Rawal
Critically acclaimed actor Paresh Rawal is the electoral candidate for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the east Ahmedabad constituency in Gujarat.
Raj Babbar
He is the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence, Lok Sabha presently.In 2014 General elections, he is contesting from Ghaziabad on a Congress Ticket.
Hema Malini
The ‘Dreamgirl of Bollywood’, Hema Malini, is contesting the General elections from Mathura Constituency, on a BJP ticket.
Vinod Khanna
He has been the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, in July 2002, and after six months, he took over the Ministry of External Affairs as minister of state. He lost out in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections but now Khanna is back fighting as the BJP’s candidate from Gurdaspur.
Kirron Kher
The actress has been named as the BJP’s candidate from Chandigarh in the parliamentary elections this year.
Gul Panag
Gul is the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate from Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, facing tough competition from Kirron Kher (BJP) and Pawan Kumar Bansal of Congress.
Shatrughan Sinha
The veteran actor was the Union Cabinet Minister of Health and Family Welfare in 2003-2004. He was elected to 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. He is the BJP`s candidate from Patna Sahib constituency.
Rakhi Sawant
Item girl Rakhi Sawant has taken a bold step in contesting elections as an independent candidate from Mumbai North-West constituency.
Kamal R Khan
The controversial KRK is SP`s candidate for the Mumbai North West seat.
Manoj Tiwari
He had contested the national elections from the Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket in 2009. He is a representative of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections from North-East Delhi seat.
Ravi Kishan Shukla
The Amitabh Bachchan of Bhojpuri Cinema, Ravi Kishan is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the constituency of Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Prakash Jha
Filmmaker Prakash Jha is contesting the elections as a Janta Dal(U) candidate from the Bettiah constituency, Bihar.