Key battles are shaping up in the state where the current and former prime ministers originate.
In Bera, caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is defending the parliamentary seat against Abas Awang of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Datuk Asmawi Harun of Perikatan Nasional (PN).
He wasted no time in outlining his focus and reasserting his position as the prime minister candidate of Barisan Nasional (BN).
Elsewhere in the state, a "David versus Goliath" battle is taking place in Bentong as a five-cornered fight.
Former member of parliament Wong Tack, who was dropped from DAP's candidate list, is contesting as an independent after former Ketari assemblyman Young Syefura Othman, fondly known as Rara, was selected to replace him.
The third candidate is BN's Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai, 61, a former minister from MCA who is trying to make a comeback in the seat which he held for four terms until 2018.
After filing his nomination, Liow took a jibe at Wong by asking voters to judge his performance.
"We need to think about why PH decided not to field Wong Tack here… Maybe because he failed to deliver a good result? I think the people in Bentong can make their own judgment.
"Nevertheless, I think the fight must be very tight here. We will see," said Liow after his nomination was confirmed by the returning officer.
The other candidates were Datuk Roslan Hassan (Perikatan Nasional) and Mohd Khalil Abdul Hamid (independent).
In Pekan — the seat previously held by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak since 1976 — Datuk Seri Sh Mohamed Puzi Sh Ali of BN will be facing four other candidates.
Other state seats with five-cornered fights were Pulau Tawar, Tioman and Beserah.
Pahang has 14 parliamentary seats and 42 state seats, which are all being contested in GE15. Additional reporting by Mohamed Basyir, Mohd Rafi Mamat and Asrol Awang
