Poll Pot

While the high-profile Priyanka has been to Amethi many times, Sarika and Radhika are just trying their hands at campaigning. Radhika, however, hastens to remind that she has come to Rae Bareli once before, “when I made my first speech when I was only nine, although I do not remember exactly what I said”. To the voters, she keeps repeating: “Rae Bareli is not new to me,it is our second home. My father served you in the past and now Atalji has given him a chance to serve you again.” Nehru is contesting for the third time from here. On their ties with the Gandhi family which now lie severed, Radhika says: “My father tells me not to look back, and move on.” But being the family’s member, some things don’t change — like campaigning for parents.

LUCKNOW: In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, there are as many as 10 candidates who will score a hat-trick if they win again and there are 27 who have already achieved this distinction. The candidates striving for a hat-trick include six belonging to the BJP, three to the Samajwadi Party and one Independent.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and former prime minister Chandra Shekhar are among those who have already won their respective seats thrice or more in succession. Shila Gautam is the only woman candidate in the state who has achieved the distinction of recording three victories in a row.

Those who havewon the seats twice in succession and are in the fray for the third time include Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi (Allahabad), Union Welfare Minister and BJP-supported Independent Maneka Gandhi (Pilibhit) and former Union ministers Salim Sherwani (Badaun) and Beni Prasad Verma (Kaiserganj).

UNI