Biggest rally of SP, allies in PM’s constituency on March 3

The opposition’s campaign (on March 3) will coincide with the sixth phase of polls when voting will be in progress in 57 eastern UP assembly constituencies

LUCKNOW/VARANASI The Samajwadi Party (SP) and its alliance partners will hold their biggest rally this season in PM’s constituency – Varanasi – on March 3, ahead of the seventh phase of UP polls when 54 constituencies, including eight in Kashi, go to polls on March 7. The showstopper of the poll campaign will be West Bengal chief minister and TMC chief, Mamata Banerjee.

•West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee being welcomed by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav as she arrived for a joint press conference ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, in Lucknow in February. (ANI Photo)

The opposition’s campaign (on March 3) will coincide with the sixth phase of polls when voting will be in progress in 57 eastern UP assembly constituencies.

Along with Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata had addressed a virtual rally and press conference in Lucknow on February 8. Among other things she said: “If you defeat the BJP in UP, then it can be removed from the Centre as well.”

“West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerji will visit Varanasi on Wednesday evening. The next day (March 3), she along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will address a public meeting in Airhe village of Varanasi,” said Sanjay Mishra, Samajwadi Party’s varanasi district unit president.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, SP president Akhilesh Yadav and heads of alliance partners Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLS) - Jayant Chaudhary, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) - Om Prakash Rajbhar and Apna Dal (K) - Krishna Patel will share the dais. So far, these alliance partners had not come together on one platform.

Former BJP minister and SP’s Fazilnagar candidate, Swami Prasad Maurya too is likely to be at the rally. Former Kannauj MP and Akhilesh’s wife Dimple Yadav and SP Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan too might participate in the rally.

SP sources said there might be a roadshow through Varanasi featuring Mamata Banerjee. Later in the evening, she will visit the Dashashwamedh Ghat on Wednesday to witness the ‘Ganga Aarti’ and might also go to Kashi Vishwanath temple the next morning.

RLD spokesperson Anil Dubey confirmed that Jayant Chaudhary will participate in the rally while SBSP national spokesperson Piyush Mishra said: “Of course, Om Prakash Rajbharji will be there.”

The rally comes at a time when the electorate in UP has already voted in five phases of polls that covered 292 of the total 403 assembly constituencies and the battle for eastern UP has intensified.