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With muscleman’s son in fray, big fight likely in Badaun
The entry of Kunal Yadav, son of Rashtriya Parivartan Dal (RPD) chief DP Yadav, known as a ‘bahubali’ of Badaun, has forced major political parties to redraw their poll strategy . Kunal is contesting from Sahaswan assembly seat that has been a traditional stronghold of his father.
Lucknow: Badaun, the land of sages and sufis, has turned into an arena of muscle power show in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have carried out intensive campaigning in the six assembly seats to regain their stronghold in the district. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also mobilized its cadre to retain its hold made in the 2017 assembly elections, when the saffron wave swept over the state.
The entry of Kunal Yadav, son of Rashtriya Parivartan Dal (RPD) chief DP Yadav, known as a ‘bahubali’ of Badaun, has forced major political parties to redraw their poll strategy. Kunal is contesting from Sahaswan assembly seat that has been a traditional stronghold of his father.
Projecting himself as ‘vikas purush’ (development person), DP Yadav is campaigning for his son, promising improvement in law and order, launch of agriculture university and dairy units and construction of a sports stadium. A three-term MLA, member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, DP Yadav was minister in the Mulayam Singh Yadav government(1989-91).
After his relationship soured with Mulayam Singh Yadav, he joined the BJP and later defected to the BSP. Before the 2007 assembly elections, he launched the RPD, and while he won from Sashwan assembly seat, his wife Umlesh Yadav emerged victorious from Bisauli seat in Badaun district. Both DP Yadav and his wife lost in the 2012 and 2017 assembly elections.
Accused in a murder case, DP Yadav was acquitted by the Uttarakhand high court in November 2021. The husband and wife organized campaigning for their son to make a comeback in the state politics.
To counter DP Yadav’s muscle power, the BJP, SP and BSP leaders have organized a series of meetings in the district. Addressing a public meeting in Badaun on Friday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath reminded people of the drive launched by the BJP government against gangsters and notorious elements. He called upon the voters to support the BJP in the election to establish rule of law in UP.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav reminded the people of the development projects launched in the district during the SP government (2012-17), while addressing a public meeting in Badaun on Saturday. Mahan Dal led by Keshav Dev Maurya, an alliance partner of the SP, has influence over the OBC voters in Badaun. The SP has given two seats, Badaun and Bilsi, to Mahan Dal.
Former chief minister and SP patriarch Mulaym Singh Yadav had won the Sashwan assembly seat in 1996 . BSP chief Mayawati has also won from the Bilsi seat in Badaun district in 1996 assembly elections.
Though the SP had secured victory in Sashwan, the BJP and BSP have been unable to win the seat that has a large number of Yadav and Muslim voters. The SP has fielded Brijesh Yadav, BJP has fielded DK Bharadwaj, BSP has given ticket to Haji Mussarat Ali Bittan and Congress to Rajvir Singh Yadav.
In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP bagged five seats in Badaun district- Bisauli, Badaun, Bilsi, Shekhupur and Dataganj, while the SP bagged Sahaswan seat.
The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Mahesh Chandra Gupta from Badaun seat, SP has given ticket to Rais Ahmed, BSP to Rajesh Kumar Singh and the Congress has fielded Rajni Singh. The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Kushagra Sagar from Bisauli seat, SP has given ticket to Ashutosh Maurya, BSP to Jaipal Singh and Congress to Pragya Yashoda Diwakar.
The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Dharmendra Kumar Shakya from Shekhupur seat, SP has fielded Himanshu Yadav, BSP has given ticket to Muslim Khan and Congress to Mamta Devi. Sitting BJP MLA Rajeev Singh is contesting from Dataganj seat, SP has fielded Arjun Singh on this seat, BSP has fielded Rachit Gupta and Atif Khan is Congress candidate. From Bilsi, BJP has fielded Harish Chandra Shakya and Chandra Prakash Maurya, son of Mahan Dal chief is also in fray. BSP has fielded Mamata Shakya and Congress has fielded Ankit Chauhan.
A leader of the Badaun Traders’ Association, Prabhu Dayal Maurya said the district shot to fame due to renowned poet Shakeel Badayuni. Now it was known for gangsters and mafias. The people would vote for formation of a government that restored the old glory of the district and worked for development, he said.
To maintain law and order during polling on Monday (February 14), the district administration has deployed 27,000 security personnel, including central paramilitary forces, in the six assembly segments. Regular patrolling and route march had been conducted in sensitive areas, said SSP Badaun, OP Singh. The Election Commission has made arrangement of webcasting of the polling in booths located in sensitive areas.
