Who is UP minister Thakur, set to take on Dimple Yadav in Mainpuri | Lok Sabha polls 2024

The BJP on Wednesday announced its tenth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, pitting Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Jaiveer Singh Thakur against Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav from the Mainpuri seat.

Of the nine candidates announced by the BJP, seven are from Uttar Pradesh.

Thakur is a 3-time MLA, 2-time MLC, and holds the record of the highest margin win among rural constituencies, in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

He once vacated his seat in the UP legislative council for Yogi Adityanath, when the latter was chosen as the Chief Minister.

Thakur's been pitted against Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple from the Samajwadi Party stronghold.

Dimple is the sitting MP from Mainpuri, after she won bye-elections triggered by her father-in-law and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's death. She's been the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj twice before.

Thakur faces the tough task of winning over voters in a constituency held by the Samajwadi Party since 1996.

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