Race to the polls: politicians make a beeline to file nomination

BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi files his nominations from Varanasi - setting the stage for one of the biggest contests of Elections 2014.

Arvind Kejriwal files his nomination papers in Varanasi, taking on Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

BJP candidate Smriti Irani files her nomination papers for Lok Sabha polls in Amethi.

Smriti Irani is standing against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

Congress Vice-President, Rahul Gandhi files his nominations from family bastion of Amethi. He is seeking a re-election for the third consecutive term from this constituency. He was accompanied by his mother and party President - Sonia Gandhi, his sister and chief campaigner - Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and his brother-in-law - Robert Vadra.

BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi files his nominations from Vadodara in Gujarat.

Bollywood star and BJP candidate for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat, Vinod Khanna files his nomination at Gurdaspur. He has won the seat thrice and is pitted against Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa.

Bollywood actor and AAP candidate Jaaved Jaffrey files his nomination papers in Lucknow.

Film Actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Ahmedabad East, Paresh Raval files for nominations in Ahmedabad.

BJP candidate from Amritsar Arun Jaitely files his nomination in Amritsar with his family.

BJP candidate from Gandhinagar, L K Advani with Gujarat Chief Minister and party's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, files his nomination papers.

Singer and BJP candidate Bappi Lahiri filing his nomination papers at Chunchura in Hooghly district of West Bengal.

BJP President Rajnath Singh waves to the crowd as he arrives to file his nomination papers from the Lucknow constituency.

Congress President, Sonia Gandhi with her son and party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Captain Satish Sharma, after filing her nomination papers for the forthcoming general election at a district court in Raebareli.

Congress candidate Madhusudan Mistry files his nomination papers from Vadodara constituency. He will be taking on the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate and Chief Minister of Gujarat - Narendra Modi.

DMK candidate and former Telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran along with his wife files his nomination papers for the Chennai Central Lok Sabha constituency.

Samajwadi Party Chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav files his nomination in Mainpuri.

BJP candidate from Vidisha Sushma Swaraj exchanges greetings with AICC General Secretary, Digvijay Singh after she filed her nomination paper in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. Digvijay Singh's younger brother Laxman Singh is contesting the elections against her in Vidisha.

BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi files his nomination papers in Kanpur. His earlier constituency - Varanasi, is now gearing up for Narendra Modi versus Arvind Kejriwal contest.

Maharashtra PWD Minister and NCP candidate from Nashik, Chhagan Bhujbal files his nomination papers, alongwith Maharashtra Deputy CM and party leader Ajit Pawar.

AICC General Secretary, Digvijay Singh's brother - Laxman Singh filed his nomination to contest from Vidisha against BJP's Sushma Swaraj.

NCP leader and Sharad Pawar's daughter, Supriya Sule along with other party workers files her nomination papers for contesting from the Baramati constituency in Maharashtra.

Congress candidate for Mumbai South constituency, Milind Deora arrives to file his nomination papers.

BJP Leader Uma Bharti files her nominations to contest from Jhansi in the upcoming elections.

Actress and Trinamool Congress party candiadte, Satabdi Roy files her nomination papers in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

Congress party candidate from Amritsar, Captain Amarinder Singh is seen here with his wife Preneet Kaur and other family members, as he filed his nomination papers in Amritsar.

An independent candidate from Madurai, Kuppul G Devadoss deposits the fees in coins while filing his nomination papers.

Bollywood actress Hema Malini files her nominations. She is the BJP candidate from Mathura.

Congress leader Ajay Maken also filed his nomination paper on March 21 from the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. Mr Maken, the AICC General Secretary and Communication Department Chairman, said that he wants to run a positive campaign based on the work he has done for the constituency.

Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan filed his nomination paper from the Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency. He will take on Union Minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal.

Congress candidate and sitting MP Sandeep Dikshit filed his nomination paper from East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. He faces a three-cornered contest in the constituency as BJP has fielded Maheish Girri while AAP's Rajmohan Gandhi is the other main contender.

BJP candidate Kirron Kher also filed her nomination for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat on March 21. Ms Kher was accompanied by her actor husband Anupam Kher, local BJP President Sanjay Tandon and two-time ex-MP Satya Pal Jain.

Congress candidate Mohammad Azharuddin takes oath while filing his nomination papers in Tonk, Rajasthan. The former cricketer had earlier contested the Lok Sabha polls from Moradabad constituency in Uttar Pradesh in 2009.

Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav files her nomination papers in Kannauj.

Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam greets supporters after filing his nomination papers from north Mumbai LS constituency, in Mumbai.

Maharashtra Navnirman Senas (MNS) candidate from Mumbai North West, Mahesh Manjrekar with supporters from Marathi film industry during his nomination filing procession at Bandra in Mumbai.

AAP Party candidate Medha Patkar during a road show after filing her nomination paper in Mumbai.

BJP candidate Poonam Mahajan greets a police officer as she arrives to file her nomination papers in Mumbai.

DMK candidate A Raja at a road show after filing his nomination papers in Nilgiris.

People's Deomocratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti waves to supporters after filing her nomination papers for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency at deputy commissioners office, in Anantnag.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supremo Shibu Soren files his nomination paper from Dhumka.

A host of leaders from the BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have filed their nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls. Following are pictures of some of those who filed their nomination on March 21.

In this photo: Aam Aadmi Party candidate Ashutosh Srivastava filed his nomination paper from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency. Ashutosh, a journalist turned politician, said he is confident that AAP will win all seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.

Infosys co-founder and Congress candidate Nandan Nilekani filed his nomination for the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, where he will take on BJP's five-time MP Ananth Kumar.

Haryana Janhit Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi chose to ride his party's election symbol, a tractor, while going to file his nomination paper for the Hisar Lok Sabha seat. Kuldeep, son of former state chief minister Bhajan Lal, is seeking a re-election from this seat.

BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi also filed her nomination on March 21. She was joined by her husband Aman Lekhi and son Pranay Lekhi, who is handling her social media campaign.

Congress candidate from Varanasi Ajay Rai files his nomination papers.