From India’s first woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all the big leaders contested elections from two seats simultaneously. There are many reasons for this, including the fear of losing the elections and the dominance of the party. Not only this, there is also a law regarding this in the Constitution. Now the news of Tejashwi Yadav contesting on two seats in Bihar Assembly elections is also strong.

So let us understand in ABP Explainer why big leaders contest elections together on two seats, what is the strategy of elections on two seats and what are its advantages and disadvantages…

Question 1- What is the law for contesting elections on multiple seats simultaneously in India?
answer- Under Section 33(7) of the Representation of the People Act 1951, a candidate can contest from two seats simultaneously in a Lok Sabha or Assembly election. If he wins both the seats, he has to vacate one seat in 14 days. If any candidate does not do this then both the seats are considered vacant under Section 70. In by-elections the party has to field candidates again, which is sometimes risky.

Election Commission of India i.e. ECI told the Supreme Court in 2018 that this rule should be changed to limit it to one seat, so that wastage of resources and voter disappointment is reduced.

Question 2- When did the practice of contesting elections from two seats simultaneously start and which leaders have done this?
answer- This practice started with the first Lok Sabha elections of India in 1951-52. Jawaharlal Nehru presented the first example of this.

• In 1952, Vishnu Ghanshyam Deshpande had won by contesting elections simultaneously from Guna and Gwalior in Central India. He was the General Secretary of All India Hindu Mahasabha. Deshpande was the first leader who won by contesting elections on two seats simultaneously. He kept Guna seat with himself and left Gwalior seat.
• In 1971, Indira Gandhi also contested elections from two seats simultaneously – Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh) and Medak (Andhra Pradesh) and won both the seats. Indira Gandhi kept Medak for herself and by-election was held in Rae Bareli, in which Arun Nehru won.
• In 1996, Atal Bihari Vajpayee also contested elections from two seats. He won from both Gwalior and Bhopal seats of Madhya Pradesh. He left Bhopal seat by keeping Gwalior. By-elections were held in Bhopal, in which BJP lost.
• In 2004, Sonia Gandhi contested the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) and Bellary (Karnataka) and won both the seats. She retained Amethi and by-elections were held in Bellary, in which Congress lost.
• In 2014, Narendra Modi also gambled on two seats. He won the seats of Vadodara in Gujarat and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi kept the Varanasi seat and by-elections were held in Vadodara, in which BJP’s Ranjanben Dhananjay won.

• In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi also contested from two seats – Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) and Wayanad (Kerala). He won from Wayanad and lost from Amethi.
• Akhilesh Yadav also contested from two seats (Kannauj and Mainpuri) in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. They won both the seats. He kept Mainpuri seat and left Kannauj seat. A by-election was held on this, where wife Dimple Yadav won.

Now Tejashwi Yadav can also contest from two seats in Bihar Assembly elections. One could be Raghopur and the other Phulparas.

Question 3- Why do big leaders contest elections on more than one seat in Indian politics?
answer- According to senior journalist and political expert Harshvardhan Tripathi, there are two big reasons for this…

1. Strengthening your and your party’s image: By contesting elections on two seats, leaders strengthen their own and the party’s image. This increases their popularity and influence of the party, strengthens the vote bank and regional base. Like in 2014, PM Modi gave a boost to BJP in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh by fighting from Vadodara and Varanasi.
2. Fear of losing elections: Leaders fear that if they lose on one seat, they can secure a place in Parliament or Assembly by winning from another seat. This way they are not thrown out of the House. For a politician, it is a real fight to remain in the House. Like in 2019, Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi, but won from Wayanad.

Question 4- What are the benefits of contesting elections on more than one seat?
answer- According to Harshvardhan Tripathi, it has 3 major benefits…

• Worker Mobilization: If a big leader contests elections on more than one seat, then the workers of that area get mobilized, that is, their enthusiasm increases and they become fully active in the elections. This also improves the image of the leader, because he reaches that area with his entire army.
• Improving electoral environment: Contesting elections on two seats improves the electoral environment, that is, the environment becomes in favor of that leader. This also shows the strength of the leader that he campaigns on two seats simultaneously and tries his best to win. This creates its positive effect.
• Advantages of political party: This also benefits the party, because his name and popularity attracts votes in many areas, which gives support to other candidates of the party. With a big leader contesting elections, the party’s publicity increases in that area and the electoral environment becomes favorable for it. For example, in 2004, Sonia Gandhi helped Congress increase its campaign in Karnataka by contesting elections from Bellary.

Question 5- Are there any disadvantages of contesting elections on more than one seat?
answer- According to political expert Rashid Kidwai, there are 3 major disadvantages of this practice…

• By-election expenses: By-election is held when one seat is left, the expenditure of which runs into crores. According to ECI, more than Rs 50 crore was spent on such by-elections from 2004 to 2018.
• Broken trust of voters: When a leader leaves a seat, the voters of that area are disappointed. Like in 2004, Bellary voters made Sonia Gandhi victorious, but BJP won the by-election after she left the seat.
• Weapon of opposition: Opposition parties promote it by calling it ‘greed’ or ‘cheating’. Like in 2019, BJP had raised questions on Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad-Amethi. BJP had said about Rahul Gandhi that he is betraying the public by contesting elections from two seats.

Question 6- Will this practice end in the coming time?
answer- Rashid Kidwai says, ‘The law of contesting elections from two seats simultaneously is in the Constitution, due to which the Constitution will have to be amended to change it. This will happen after the consensus of the parties and everyone’s consent. There is no problem or flaw in contesting elections from two seats simultaneously. This system is not going to harm anyone. However, the money spent in this is definitely a problem. But black money is useful for the parties.

At the same time, Harshvardhan Tripathi believes, ‘This practice should end. This practice is a waste of time and money. If a leader wins both the seats and leaves one seat, then it becomes the responsibility of the Election Commission to conduct elections on it. This upsets the public and also breaks their trust.

Today (Wednesday) is the 81st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. He was born on 20 August 1944. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, he suddenly stepped into politics and became the youngest Prime Minister of the country. At that time he was only 40 years old. He was the Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989. He was murdered on 21 May 1991. Every year his birth anniversary is celebrated as Sadbhavana Day. On this day, the message of unity, love and peace is given in the country.

We remember Rajiv Gandhi, the youngest Prime Minister of India, as a modern -minded leader, but the most shocking thing in his life is that he was expected to kill his murder many years ago. On 21 May 1991, Rajiv Gandhi died tragically in a bomb blast in Sriperumbdur, Tamil Nadu. About 7 years before this incident, when he accepted becoming the Prime Minister of the country due to many circumstances, he said a sentence that is still remembered. Rajiv Gandhi said about 7 years ago that I have no choice, I will be killed anyway. In such a situation, let us know how Rajiv Gandhi had realized the murder 7 years ago.

Rajiv Gandhi had anticipated 7 years ago

When his mother and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi were killed in 1984, there was a stir in the politics of the country. At such a time, the Congress party asked Rajiv Gandhi to become Prime Minister. Rajiv Gandhi had little experience of politics and he did not even step into politics with his choice. He was sworn in as Prime Minister under pressure from the country and party. At the same time, he told his wife Sonia Gandhi, if I do not accept the post of Prime Minister, the party will be shattered and if I have accepted then I can also be killed, but there is no way, I will be killed anyway. PC Alexander, who has worked with him, has written this in his book My Days with Indira Gandhi.

That night of 1991 and the truth of fear

In 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was campaigning in the country and was preparing to become Prime Minister again. On the night of 21 May, he arrived for a public meeting in Sriperumbudur, a small town in Tamil Nadu. A young woman found in the crowd, who was a suicide bomb, went to the bomb on the pretext of giving a necklace of flowers. Many people including Rajiv Gandhi were killed in this blast. The attack was carried out by a terrorist organization named LTTE (LTTE), which was running the Tamil separatist movement in Sri Lanka. A few minutes before the blast, journalist Nina Gopal interviewed Rajiv Gandhi, in which he asked him if you feel a danger. Rajiv Gandhi replied with a smiling and the leader who becomes powerful in South Asia is erased. My mother Indira Gandhi, Bhutto of Pakistan, Jia-ul-Haq, Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh are now my turn. Shortly after this, these words of Rajiv also came true. A few minutes later, that painful explosion occurred.

Also read: If Rahul Gandhi does not give affidavit then what action can the Election Commission take, know his power

On Tuesday (July 29, 2025) during the discussion of Operation Sindoor in Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra mentioned the time when former Prime Minister of the country Rajiv Gandhi was killed. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that tears fell from the eyes of my mother (Sonia Gandhi) when her husband was martyred by the terrorists when she was only 44 years old.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra further said that today I am standing in this Parliament and arguing, because I know their pain. The country is not only leading by taking a shrine, taking responsibility for both success and failure. Is the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Defense Minister, NSA not responsible for the safety of the people.

‘No matter how many operations, you cannot hide from the truth’

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, ‘Today most of the people sitting in this house have security shield, but on that day 26 people were killed in front of their families in Pahalgam. All the people present in the Basran Valley that day had no security. No matter how many operations you run, you cannot hide from the truth.

Pledge to protect everyone with vengeance

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the government and said that it is not the crown of gold, but the crown of thorns. When the government is false and cowardly, it also weakens the brave to brave army. The country needs a vow to protect everyone with vengeance, along with the power of the army, the truth of the government is also needed.

Referring to former PM Indira Gandhi, Vadra said, ‘Patriot martyr Indira Gandhi, who on the strength of successful diplomacy, made a partition of Pakistan, formed Pakistan, formed Bangladesh and forced many Pakistanis to surrender the soldiers, but they never took credit for it.

India’s motive was not fulfilled

He further said that the purpose of Operation Sindoor was to teach only Pakistan a lesson, so our aim is still incomplete, because our diplomacy has failed. The proof of this is that a Pakistani general, whose hands were dyed with blood, were sitting with the President of America and eating lunch.

Gandhi said, ‘If the purpose of Operation Sindoor was to end terrorism, then Pakistan has been shocked by being elected as the chairman of the United Nations Committee of Terrorism. The ruling party spoke on many aspects, but did not say why Pahalgam terror attack took place, how happened?

Also read:- ‘Voter ID to Pakistani Chocolate’, Amit Shah opened Pak connection of Pahalgam terrorists

The hunt- The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: The night of 1991, when a blast not only killed a leader, but also broke the expectations of crores of countrymen. This was the same day when former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated.

Now a new web series based on the truth of this massacre, a series named The Hunt-The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination, is going to come, which has also been released recently.

The trailer rocked

The trailer shows how a special investigation team is formed, and how each layer of the case starts to open. As soon as the news of the murder comes out, there is a stir in the capital of the country i.e. Delhi.

From the government to the media, everyone is demanding answers, but the answers are hidden to the tune of conspiracy, but are not allowed to come out.

In the series, artists like Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid, Vidyut Gargi, Bhagwati Perumal will be seen. Their actual is so attached to the truth that you will feel, you are not living again, but the events of the same time.

Pressure, politics and conspiracy are done

This series does not only talk about murder, it also talks about the atmosphere where an attempt was also made to suppress the truth. There was political pressure on the special team, but some officers continued the investigation by putting their lives at risk.

Through this series, for the first time, viewers will see the reality of those files, which were still silent. The Hunt is not just a series, but a torch of truth immersed in that darkness, after seeing that you may get answers to many questions.

When and where to see the hunt the hunt – the Rajiv Gandhi AssansInation Case)

The series on the Rajiv Gandhi murder case will be stream on 4 July 2025 on the OTT platform Soni Liv. The director of this series is Nagesh Kukunur. This series will take the audience to the streets where politics, power and conspiracies meet together.

Rajiv gandhi death anniversary: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has remembered his father and the country’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary. Rahul has shared an emotional post on social media on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi’s 34th death anniversary. He has also shared the picture of Rajiv Gandhi’s tomb on social media.

Rahul has shared a post on X. In this, he did one photo with Rajiv Gandhi and the other has shared his tomb. Rahul wrote in the caption, “Papa, your memories guide me at every step. It is my resolve to realize your unfinished dreams – and I will be fulfilled by them. ”

Congress President paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi’s death anniversary. He reached Rajiv Gandhi’s tomb with Rahul Gandhi, Veer Bhumi. Other party leaders were also present with him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also remembered former PM Rajiv Gandhi. He paid tributes through social media plateroorm X.

Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister at the age of just 40 years

Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of the country at the age of 40. He was the Prime Minister of India from 31 October 1984 to 2 December 1989. Rajiv was earlier working as a pilot, but after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, he became PM. He is called the father of computer revolution.

Papa, your memories guide me at every step.

It is my resolve to realize your unfinished dreams – and I will be fulfilled by them. pic.twitter.com/jwptcso1tn

– Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2025

update in progress…