BSP picks Solanki for GB Nagar seat

Solanki said if elected, he will work for farmers’ causes, employment for the youth, and development of all sections of society

NOIDA

Solanki was earlier with the Congress and won the assembly elections from Sikandrabad in 1985, but he quit Congress earlier this year and joined BSP. (HT Photo)

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Sunday announced that it has fielded Rajendra Singh Solanki, 70, from the Gautam Budh Nagar seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Solanki is set to face off against sitting MP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dr Mahesh Sharma and Samajwadi Party’s Rahul Awana, a first-time candidate.

Uttar Pradesh is one of three states in which the Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases between April 19 and June 1, and as per the Election Commission of India schedule, the Gautam Budh Nagar constituency will go to polls on April 26.

The results are set to be declared June 4.

Solanki, a resident of Hasanpur Luduki in Bulandshahr, was earlier with the Congress and won the assembly elections from Sikandrabad in 1985. Thereafter, he remained associated with the party but did not contest any more elections.

Earlier this year, he quit the Congress and joined the BSP.

“As I was active into politics early in life, I was appointed as Congress’ state youth chief in 1976, and also worked under then UP chief minister ND Tiwari before the 1980s… Now I have joined the BSP, as they offered me to contest the 2024 general elections,” Solanki said.

According to Solanki, his upbringing in the region has helped him learn social issues that plague the area.

“Dr Mahesh Sharma, who is from Rajasthan, was elected two times. The BJP has not let local leaders represent this seat. But, this time BSP has fielded me so that people can choose a candidate born and brought up here,” Solanki said.

He added that if elected, he will work for farmers’ causes, employment for the youth, and development of all sections of society.