Lok Sabha elections: Hema Malini to contest again from Mathura LS seat

In Agra city, UP minister S.P. Singh Baghael replaces Ram Shankar Katheria, Chairman of the SC/ST Commission, while in Fatehpur Sikri, Raj Kumar Chahar will contest instead of Choudhary Babu Lal.

Agra/Mathura:  Popular actor and Mathura MP Hema Malini, who has been busy since morning participating in Holi celebrations in Lord Krishna's land, was Thursday against fielded by her BJP from the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. However, in the first list of Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha candidates, there were surprises in store as both sitting MPs from Agra have been replaced. In Agra city, UP minister S.P. Singh Baghael replaces Ram Shankar Katheria, Chairman of the SC/ST Commission, while in Fatehpur Sikri, Raj Kumar Chahar will contest instead of Choudhary Babu Lal. Both the sitting MPs were facing a lot of flak and criticism for non-performance. After a long wait, the Bharatiya Janata Party finally announced its first list of 184 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, which includes the names of 28 candidates from Uttar Pradesh. However, the party has denied tickets to its six sitting MPs, which include some big names. Union Minister Smriti Irani has been renominated from Amethi and will take on Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Union minister Kiren Rijiju to fight from Arunachal East. The BJP has also renominated Union ministers V K Singh and Mahesh Shamra from  Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida), respectively.