E-Paper
Akhilesh files papers, says will work for Kannauj’s development
SP president Akhilesh Yadav files nomination papers from Kannauj, citing BJP's halt on development projects. Strong sentiment for his candidature.
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday filed his nomination papers from Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj Lok Sabha seat. In the past, he has served as an MP from Kannauj three times between 2000 and 2012 before he resigned to take over as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2012.
His uncle Ram Gopal Yadav accompanied him to the office of the district magistrate where the SP president submitted four sets of nomination papers. Three of four Akhilesh’s proposers were from the scheduled caste and non-Yadav OBC communities, while one was Muslim.
Former MLA Kalyan Singh Dohre, Yash Dohre, son of former MLA Anil Dohre, SP state secretary Akash Shakya and district president Kaleem Khan were also present on the occasion. After filing papers, the SP president said, “This election will end the negative politics here and promote selfless politics instead, fostering love and fragrance that Kannauj is known for.”
He blamed the BJP for “halting the development work in Kannauj because it was a stronghold of his party naming the projects that either were stopped or not taken up”.
“We need to take Kannauj forward. Its business not only extends within India but globally. The development was stopped here by the BJP as it is our stronghold. The BJP insulted people here numerous times and did nothing. Locals here have seen the progress and development too,” he said.
“I will work for the development of this place tirelessly to ensure its name shines. The electrification work was done by the SP. Bridges were built over the rivers during the SP rule. An airstrip too was built here but only one time a plane landed,” he added.
“The solar park inaugurated by former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam never started and the perfume park is also incomplete. This highlights the negativity of the BJP,” the SP president claimed. Akhilesh contested the seat for the first time in 2000, a year after his father Mulayam Singh Yadav resigned and fielded him in the by election. Akhilesh’s wife Dimple Yadav and he have represented the seat five times.
He entered the poll fray days after the party announced the name of his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav from the seat. However, there was strong sentiment among the party leaders and workers that Akhilesh should contest from the seat.
He acknowledged that he was contesting this election because people wanted him to and that he was blessed to have such support.
“The victory will be historic from Kannauj. The people here did not want to leave Akhilesh and wanted him to represent the seat again. The change is for the betterment,” said senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav after he was asked about the change in candidature.
Meanwhile, his entry into the electoral battle led to a sharp attack from the incumbent BJP MP Subrat Pathak who also filed his papers minutes before Akhilesh arrived to file his nomination. Pathak likened the election here to a cricket match between India and Pakistan.
“If the contest was with Tej Pratap Yadav, it would have been like India-Nepal match. But now with Akhilesh Yadav in picture, it will be like an India-Pakistan match,” Pathak said. Akhilesh returned the fire saying, “We are Samajwadi people. They don’t know how to play or swing the bat. We will hit the first ball for a six. Rather, we will hit sixes on all six balls.”
Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who addressed a meeting here for Pathak, said, “Subrat Pathak defeated Dimple Yadav in 2019. He will make Akhilesh Yadav pack up in 2024.” He urging the workers to show restraint and do not reply in a tit- for-tat manner.
Moreover, Akhilesh Yadav met the party workers who had come from all assembly segments and sought their ground reports. He also asked them to work wholeheartedly for party candidates.
