NEW DELHI:
Kannauj
, known as a stronghold of
Samajwadi Party
, braces for a fierce electoral showdown between SP supremo
Akhilesh Yadav
and BJP's incumbent MP and perfume trader
Subrat Pathak
.
Kannauj seat has been a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party since 1998. However, there was a notable shift in the 2019 election when BJP's Subrat Pathak managed to secure victory.
Kannauj, renowned as the 'perfume capital of India', is scheduled for voting in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 13.
The counting of the votes will take place on June 4.
In the 2024 general election, BJP's Subrat Pathak is in the electoral fray against SP chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.. The BSP has fielded Imran Bin Zafar.
Subrat Pathak has been a steadfast contender for the BJP, consistently contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Kannauj since 2009.
In 2019, the BJP made significant inroads into the SP stronghold when Subrat Pathak defeated the then-sitting MP Dimple Yadav by a margin of 12,353 votes.
This victory marked the end of the Samajwadi Party's seven consecutive undefeated election battles in the constituency.
BJP candidate for the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, Subrat Pathak, has written to the district election officer (DEO) alleging that the Samajwadi Party has imported anti-social elements, including individuals from a "particular community" from outside, with the aim of "disrupting" the election process.
"The people in the region have brought to my knowledge that the Samajwadi Party has brought in anti-social elements, including those from a particular community, from outside Kannauj and the state, with the intention to carry out terrorist activities. Many vehicles and people have come in large numbers from different areas who want to attack the Indian democracy by disrupting the election process," he said.
Earlier, the party had announced Tej Pratap Yadav, Akhilesh's nephew and son-in-law of RJD chief
Lalu Prasad Yadav
, as its candidate. However, at the last moment, Akhilesh Yadav replaced his nephew as the SP candidate.
Kannauj holds special significance for Akhilesh Yadav, as it marks the place where he made his political debut in the year 2000.
He served as the Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj from 2000 to 2012. After assuming the role of chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2012, Akhilesh Yadav resigned from the Kannauj parliamentary seat.
In 2017, despite his party's efforts, they were unable to form a government in Uttar Pradesh, leading Akhilesh Yadav to submit his resignation to the Governor.
He was elected as a Lok Sabha MP in 2019 and subsequently secured a seat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in 2022.
After the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, Akhilesh Yadav resigned as a Lok Sabha MP but retained his seat in the state assembly.
SP chief emphasised that the Samajwadi Party (SP) is directly contesting against the BJP, urging supporters of Babasaheb Ambedkar to assist SP in safeguarding the constitution, reservation, democracy, and education.
In the 2014 elections, Dimple Yadav clinched victory in the Kannauj seat with 489,164 votes. Subrat Pathak of the BJP secured the second position with 469,257 votes, while BSP's Nirmal Tiwari came in third with 127,785 votes.
Subsequently, Dimple Yadav won the seat unopposed in a bypoll and then emerged victorious again in 2014. However, she was defeated by Subrat Pathak in the 2019 elections.
In Uttar Pradesh, instances of paper leaks in government job recruitment examinations have left students preparing for the exams disheartened. Political parties have incorporated pledges in their manifestos to tackle this issue.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has expressed grave concerns regarding the credibility of examinations conducted under the BJP regime in Uttar Pradesh.
The political parties made many promises to address the issue, including the digitisation of papers, enhanced security protocols during printing and transportation, utlising technology to prevent unauthorised access to examination materials.
The distinguished socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia was the first MP elected from Kannauj.
According to the seat agreement between the Samajwadi Party and Congress in Uttar Pradesh, Congress is contesting on 17 seats, while the Samajwadi Party holds the remaining 63 seats in the electorally crucial state.
In the 2019 general elections, the BJP emerged victorious, capturing 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, with an additional two seats won by its ally Apna Dal (S). Mayawati's BSP managed to secure 10 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP garnered five. In contrast, the Congress party secured only one seat.
The election for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will be conducted in seven phases starting April 19. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
(With inputs from agencies)
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