SP’s Mahendra Nagar files nomination from GB Nagar

In Uttar Pradesh, the SP has changed candidates in at least seven seats including Moradabad, Rampur, Budaun, Misrikh, Bijnor, Gautam Budh Nagar and Meerut

 Samajwadi Party’s Lok Sabha candidate from the Gautam Budh (GB) Nagar constituency, Mahendra Singh Nagar, on Monday filed his nomination papers and later asserted that along with the support of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, his party will defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming polls.

Samajwadi Party candidate Mahendra Singh Nagar (Sunil Ghosh/HT Phot)

Nagar, whose candidature was only confirmed by the party after three rounds of changes and deliberations, said during campaigning, SP would take up all issues faced by backward classes and minorities as envisioned by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

“Campaign for the polls have already started, now it’s time for us to reach the public and raise issues regarding unemployment and what the farmers are going through right now. If anyone claims that there is a zero tolerance of corruption in the state, then I want to make it clear that it is not the case. Everyone knows what happened when the electoral bonds details emerged,” Nagar told reports after filing his nomination at the collectorate office in Surajpur.

Nagar broke off his long partnership with the Congress to join the SP in 2022. Although he was the first pick for the seat when the first list of candidates were announced, four days later, he got replaced 38-year-old Rahul Awana. However, the SP top brass, on March 30 again changed its decision and named Nagar as its final pick.

Refuting allegations that repeated changes in candidacy were a result of an internal rife in the party, SP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhati said adjustments were made to understand which candidate would suit best to the nominees of other parties.

“After we declared Nagar as a candidate, the BSP announced their candidate, while the BJP announced their pick before us. We assessed the candidates of the other parties and worked out a name that would help us win the election. Thus, we finally decided that Nagar could add more value for us,” Bhati said.

In Uttar Pradesh, the SP has changed candidates in at least seven seats including Moradabad, Rampur, Budaun, Misrikh, Bijnor, Gautam Budh Nagar and Meerut.

Gautam Budh Nagar goes to polls on April 26.

BJP has yet again fielded its sitting MP Mahesh Sharma while the BSP has gone with 70-year-old Rajendra Singh Solanki, who has not contested any elections since 1985, when he was a Congress MLA.