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Arun Govil, the celebrated actor who portrayed the legendary character of Lord Ram in the iconic television series 'Ramayan,' is facing an uphill battle in his electoral debut from the Meerut Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, according to the latest trends released by the Election Commission of India.
Govil, who is representing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is trailing behind his closest rival, Sunita Verma of the Samajwadi Party (SP), by a significant margin of over 17,000 votes.
Verma, a former Mayor of Meerut, has garnered approximately 3.3 lakh votes, while Govil has secured roughly 3.2 lakh votes, reflecting a close contest between the two candidates.
Verma, who previously belonged to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), brings with her a strong local presence, bolstered by her husband's political standing as a former MLA from the Samajwadi Party.
Govil, on the other hand, has faced criticism for being an outsider, having resided in Mumbai and lacking a deep understanding of local issues. Despite acknowledging this, Govil expressed his commitment to immersing himself in the constituency, relocating to Meerut, and engaging with the electorate to address their concerns.
The BJP, which emerged victorious in 62 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh during the 2019 general elections, had high hopes in Meerut, where it has enjoyed a winning streak since 2009, securing a total of six victories.
Meerut, which participated in the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, witnessed a voter turnout of 58.70 per cent, as per the Election Commission's records.
Source: UP Election 2024 Results LIVE: 'Ramayan' Actor Arun Govil Trailing In Meerut