Lucknow: SP chief from front Akhilesh Yadav’s decision to contest elections karhli The seat of Mainpuri may seem to be an obvious choice as it has been a safe bet for the party for almost three decades, barring a break in 2002. But political observers believe there was more to the move than that.
Initially, Akhilesh was unwilling to contest till November last year and had informed the media about it. The decision was based in essence on the belief that contesting the election would involve him leading his own campaign and would not give him enough time to campaign for other candidates.
But a fortnight later, the SP chief amended his earlier statement and said that his party would also decide on contesting the assembly elections and the election of the seat. After being nominated as the Chief Minister by the BJP, the discussion about him contesting the first assembly election intensified. Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was chosen as the party’s choice for the Gorakhpur (Urban) and Sirathu seats respectively.
Finally, party sources confirmed on Thursday that Akhilesh will contest from Karhal seat. Sources said that initially the party leadership was keen on Gopalpur seat in Azamgarh, Akhilesh’s parliamentary constituency. At one point the option of contesting from Gunnaur (Sambhal district) was also on the table and hence the election for Mainpuri Sadar seat has also been a family ground for a long time and Mulayam himself has won from Gunnaur twice, while the SP chief is the current one from Mainpuri. are MPs.
In the end, the spotlight was turned on Karhal, which was described as the seat from where Mulayam Singh Yadav’s political advisor Nathu Singh Yadav had won in the 1957 elections.
Sources said the strategy behind electing Karhal was to make the best impression of Akhilesh’s candidature on the region. A senior SP leader said, “It will not only affect the entire Agra division, of which Mainpuri is a part, but will also affect Kanpur and Aligarh divisions.”
According to insiders, some SP leaders, who supported Shivpal during the Yadav family’s battle for supremacy during the 2017 assembly elections, are not happy to join hands with the uncle’s nephew Akhilesh. Pramod GuptaMulayam Singh’s brother-in-law, who formally joined the BJP on Thursday, was one such name. Former MLA, Raghuraj Shakya (Etawah) and Shivkumar Beria (Rasulabad-Kanpur Dehat), who also supported Shivpal, may also do some damage to the SP’s prospects. SP strategists are of the view that Akhilesh’s candidature from Karhal will help mitigate such influence.
Initially, Akhilesh was unwilling to contest till November last year and had informed the media about it. The decision was based in essence on the belief that contesting the election would involve him leading his own campaign and would not give him enough time to campaign for other candidates.
But a fortnight later, the SP chief amended his earlier statement and said that his party would also decide on contesting the assembly elections and the election of the seat. After being nominated as the Chief Minister by the BJP, the discussion about him contesting the first assembly election intensified. Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya was chosen as the party’s choice for the Gorakhpur (Urban) and Sirathu seats respectively.
Finally, party sources confirmed on Thursday that Akhilesh will contest from Karhal seat. Sources said that initially the party leadership was keen on Gopalpur seat in Azamgarh, Akhilesh’s parliamentary constituency. At one point the option of contesting from Gunnaur (Sambhal district) was also on the table and hence the election for Mainpuri Sadar seat has also been a family ground for a long time and Mulayam himself has won from Gunnaur twice, while the SP chief is the current one from Mainpuri. are MPs.
In the end, the spotlight was turned on Karhal, which was described as the seat from where Mulayam Singh Yadav’s political advisor Nathu Singh Yadav had won in the 1957 elections.
Sources said the strategy behind electing Karhal was to make the best impression of Akhilesh’s candidature on the region. A senior SP leader said, “It will not only affect the entire Agra division, of which Mainpuri is a part, but will also affect Kanpur and Aligarh divisions.”
According to insiders, some SP leaders, who supported Shivpal during the Yadav family’s battle for supremacy during the 2017 assembly elections, are not happy to join hands with the uncle’s nephew Akhilesh. Pramod GuptaMulayam Singh’s brother-in-law, who formally joined the BJP on Thursday, was one such name. Former MLA, Raghuraj Shakya (Etawah) and Shivkumar Beria (Rasulabad-Kanpur Dehat), who also supported Shivpal, may also do some damage to the SP’s prospects. SP strategists are of the view that Akhilesh’s candidature from Karhal will help mitigate such influence.
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