"Beginning of a new inning," says BJP's Meerut candidate Arun Govil ahead of filing nomination

Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 2 : Arun Govil, who essayed the role of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's mythological drama Ramayan and has been given the BJP's ticket from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut Lok Sabha seat for the general polls, on Tuesday said that this election is a 'Beginning of a new inning' for him.
Speaking to ANI, the veteran actor and the BJP leader said that his candidature from the seat is like a 'homecoming' to him.
"It feels great. This is the beginning of a new inning for me. I am thrilled. But I am at peace, I see no problems anywhere...I also feel good that it is like homecoming, as I have been made the candidate from here. I will be able to do something for the people," Arun Govil said, adding, "Ram ji theek karenge sab (Lord Rama will give his blessings)"
Govil is all set to file his nomination on Tuesday.
Arun Govil, who joined the BJP in 2021, replaced three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004.
Arun Govil made his TV debut in 1987 with Ramanand Sagar's Vikram Betaal and eventually shot to fame with Ramayan. The show made him a household name. He also provided the voice for Ram in Yugo Sako's Indo-Japanese animation film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (1992).
Arun Govil had campaigned for Congress earlier, but it took him decades to take a plunge in active politics. Govil will be up against the Samajwadi Party's Atul Pradhan, who is currently the MLA from Sardhana Constituencyin Meerut District.
The BJP is eying Western UP with optimism to achieve its ambitious target of 370 seats on its own, despite facing setbacks in the last elections. In 2014, the BJP secured 24 out of 27 seats in the region, which dwindled to 19 in 2019, with all eight seats going to the SP-BSP combined.
In 2019, BJP candidate Rajendra Agarwal had then managed to clinch the Meerut seat by defeating SP-backed BSP candidate Haji Yakub Qureshi by a thin margin of less than 5,000 votes.
In 2014, the BJP clinched a staggering 71 seats in the state. However, in 2019, facing a formidable alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the ruling alliance's seat count went down to 64. Despite the BSP securing 10 seats, the SP failed to surpass five.
Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19. Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases.
With political dynamics shifting in the state, the BJP is spearheading a robust alliance, encompassing parties like RLD, SBSP, Apna Dal (S), and Nishad party bolstering its position.
On the other hand, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav aligns with the opposition bloc, Mayawati embarks on the electoral journey solo.
Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases.
Voting for phases one and two will be held on April 19 and April 26. Next, the state will once again poll in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13. The Uttar Pradesh electorate will also vote in phases five, six and seven on May 20, May 23 and June 1 respectively. Polling in
Meerut will take place on April 26, during the second phase. The votes will be counted on June 4.