Throwing its hat into the ring in Uttar Pradesh, the Janata Dal(United) has fielded candidates in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies there including Rae Bareli and Muzaffarnagar. The candidates are debutants in electoral politics, mostly involved in social activities or active in local panchayats. Sunil Kumar Srivastav, a medical practitioner, will contest against Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli, while Pritam Singh Kushwaha will take on Amar Singh of the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Fatehpur Sikri.
Shakir Ali Usmani, a minority leader, has been fielded against Murli Manohar Joshi in Kanpur.
Sunita Kashyap, a social activist from a backward community, has been fielded in Kairana. Lalit Chauhan, a Thakur, has been put up in Muzaffarnagar on the recommendation of the local panchayat, according to JD(U) sources.
Gopiragan Trivedi has been fielded in Akbarpur, local party worker Pappu Yadav in Banda, and Haridwar Yadav in Chandauli.
Of the 10 seats, the party in the past contested only Deoria and Salempur.
