E-Paper
SP’s show of strength in Lucknow: Ravidas Mehrotra, RK Chaudhary file nominations
The Collectorate crossing had only police personnel till 12.25pm, but the place turned chock-a-block with 2,000 supporters coming along with three-time MLA Mehrotra
LUCKNOW It was a show of strength by the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday as two INDI Alliance candidates - Ravidas Mehrotra and RK Chaudhary - filed nominations for Lucknow and Mohanlalganj Lok Sabha seats, respectively, at the Collectorate here.
The Collectorate crossing had only police personnel till 12.25pm, but the place turned chock-a-block with 2,000 supporters coming along with three-time MLA Mehrotra.
As supporters waved flags of Samajwadi Party, Congress and Aam Admi Party, ‘kachchi ghodi’ dance, snake charmers playing pungi (an instrument that make snakes dance) and the sound of drums & cymbals gave the place a festival-like atmosphere for some time.
The nomination event began at the Samajwadi Party office at Vikramaditya Marg.
Chief national spokesperson of Samajwadi Party Rajendra Chaudhary, Mahangar president Fakir Siddiqui, MLA Arman Khan, in-charge of north assembly constituency Pooja Shukla and in-charge of east assembly seat Anurag Bhadauria were on board the vehicle that Ravidas boarded for filing his nomination. The cavalcade crossed Raj Bhawan and Hazratganj.
Mehrotra was welcomed by people at Halwasiya Market, Qaiserbagh bus station, Nazirabad, Aminabad, Jhandewala Park and Nishat Cinema, said Gaurav Singh Yadav, media in-charge of the campaign.
The SP candidate crossed the barricading with his promoters and a few supporters at 12.30pm to reach the returning officers’ table, where he submitted his nomination. Before reaching the collectorate, Mehrotra sought blessings of his mother at home and offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in Hazratganj.
“During Rajnath Singh’s nomination, 95% of the supporters were outsiders. In my nomination, all are Lucknow voters who have come on their own. The administration supported Rajnath’s nomination but did not allow us to put up posters. I am sure the voters will give a reply to all this,” said Ravidas Mehrotra commenting union defence minister and BJP candidate Rajnath Singh.
“The arrogance of BJP leaders will be over on June 4,” he said before leaving to file nomination.
BSP’s Mohammed Sarvar Malik, 49, had filed his nomination on Tuesday while BJP’s Rajnath Singh filed his papers on Monday. The last date for filing nominations is May 3.
Before filing his nomination, RK Chaudhary said, “I am confident because people have seen my work. The constituency, democracy, reservation for dalits and backwards are in danger.”
Asked about the challenge from BJP candidate and union minister Kaushal Kishore on Mohanlalganj seat, Chaudhary said, “Many times ministers have lost...and Kaushal Kishore was unable to spend funds for development in the area,”
RK Chaudhary is contesting for Lok Sabha for the third consecutive time. In 2014 polls, he was runner-up after getting around 3,09,274 votes as BSP candidate against BJP’s Kaushal Kishore (4.55,274 votes) while SP candidate Sushila Saroj (2,42,366 votes) remained on third position
Similarly, Chaudhary remained on third position when he contested poll on Congress ticket with around 60,069 votes against the BJP’s winning candidate Kaushal Kishore (6,29,999 votes) while BSP candidate CL Verma remained runner up with around 5,39,795 votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Lucknow has a total 39,53,287 voters. The number of octogenarian (80-89 age group) voters is 60,238 while nonagenarian (90-91 age group) voters number 8718. The state capital has 228 centenarian voters (above 100 years of age), including 10 over the age of 120 years, according to the data from the assistant district returning officer, shared on March 17, 2024.
As Ravidas Mehrotra reached the final barricade outside the Collectorate office for filing his nomination, policemen stopped a suitcase his supporters were carrying. But when it became clear that it contained papers required for the nomination process, the suitcase was allowed entry from the barricade.
