News Analysis India

Tag: Akhilesh Yadav

  • UP: Ex-project advisor denied anticipatory bail in Gomti River Front Project scam

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The former advisor to the ambitious Gomti River Front Project has been denied anticipatory bail by the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court over accusations of committing corruption and large-scale irregularities in the implementation of the project.

    The single-judge bench, comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, passed the order denying anticipatory bail to project advisor Badri Shreshta last week. The order was uploaded on Monday. The court refused anticipatory bail to the project advisor in the wake of his role, evidence available against him and the magnitude of the corruption committed in the project.

    Notably, the Gomti River Front Development Project was conceptualized and commenced during the Akhilesh Yadav regime (2012-17). The motive of the project was the beautification and landscaping of the banks along river Gomti in the state capital Lucknow and also channelizing the river water by constructing a diaphragm wall and intercepting drains on both banks.

    Passing the order, Justice Singh said: “While granting bail the court has to keep in mind the nature of accusations, magnitude and gravity of offence along with the evidence supporting the nature of accusations.”

    Justice Singh added that in the case of economic offences, deep-rooted conspiracies and loss of huge public funds needed to be viewed seriously as they were the grave offences affecting the economy of the country as a whole.

    After coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government ordered the first probe into alleged irregularities in Gomti Riverfront Project and got an FIR lodged against several people, including senior officials of the irrigation department on June 19, 2017. Later, the probe was handed over to the CBI.

    The CBI probe initially confirmed that a budget of Rs 1,513 crore was sanctioned for the project and around Rs 1,437 crore (95 per cent of the total budget) was spent without completing even 60 per cent of the project work. Multiple anomalies surfaced in the expenditure.

    Besides, the company that was allotted work of the riverfront beautification was a defaulter. The Enforcement Directorate had also initiated a probe under the Money Laundering Act.

    On February 17, 2021, the had CBI filed a charge sheet in the CBI court in Lucknow against six people, including two directors of the firm that was allotted the work of river channelisation, and subsequently, two irrigation engineers in Lucknow were arrested.

    Accused-appellant Badri Shreshtha was one of the conspirators in the CBI chargesheet. He had got the execution work of the channelization of water to M/s KK Spun Pipes Private Limited which was not even empanelled with the State Irrigation department. Further, against an already high cost of execution worth Rs 285.69 crore quoted by M/s KK Spun Pipe Private Limited, it was paid Rs 337.32 crore by the dispensation without obtaining any approval for cost escalation by the state cabinet.

    The accused is also charged with pooling the tender for securing execution work for the said firm on the basis of forged documents.

    LUCKNOW: The former advisor to the ambitious Gomti River Front Project has been denied anticipatory bail by the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court over accusations of committing corruption and large-scale irregularities in the implementation of the project.

    The single-judge bench, comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, passed the order denying anticipatory bail to project advisor Badri Shreshta last week. The order was uploaded on Monday. The court refused anticipatory bail to the project advisor in the wake of his role, evidence available against him and the magnitude of the corruption committed in the project.

    Notably, the Gomti River Front Development Project was conceptualized and commenced during the Akhilesh Yadav regime (2012-17). The motive of the project was the beautification and landscaping of the banks along river Gomti in the state capital Lucknow and also channelizing the river water by constructing a diaphragm wall and intercepting drains on both banks.

    Passing the order, Justice Singh said: “While granting bail the court has to keep in mind the nature of accusations, magnitude and gravity of offence along with the evidence supporting the nature of accusations.”

    Justice Singh added that in the case of economic offences, deep-rooted conspiracies and loss of huge public funds needed to be viewed seriously as they were the grave offences affecting the economy of the country as a whole.

    After coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government ordered the first probe into alleged irregularities in Gomti Riverfront Project and got an FIR lodged against several people, including senior officials of the irrigation department on June 19, 2017. Later, the probe was handed over to the CBI.

    The CBI probe initially confirmed that a budget of Rs 1,513 crore was sanctioned for the project and around Rs 1,437 crore (95 per cent of the total budget) was spent without completing even 60 per cent of the project work. Multiple anomalies surfaced in the expenditure.

    Besides, the company that was allotted work of the riverfront beautification was a defaulter. The Enforcement Directorate had also initiated a probe under the Money Laundering Act.

    On February 17, 2021, the had CBI filed a charge sheet in the CBI court in Lucknow against six people, including two directors of the firm that was allotted the work of river channelisation, and subsequently, two irrigation engineers in Lucknow were arrested.

    Accused-appellant Badri Shreshtha was one of the conspirators in the CBI chargesheet. He had got the execution work of the channelization of water to M/s KK Spun Pipes Private Limited which was not even empanelled with the State Irrigation department. Further, against an already high cost of execution worth Rs 285.69 crore quoted by M/s KK Spun Pipe Private Limited, it was paid Rs 337.32 crore by the dispensation without obtaining any approval for cost escalation by the state cabinet.

    The accused is also charged with pooling the tender for securing execution work for the said firm on the basis of forged documents.

  • Post Akhilesh-Shivpal patch-up, BJP may have sleepless nights

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW:  The merger of Shivpal Yadav-led Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia and Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party prompt the BJP to return to the drawing board to devise a fresh strategy for not only the big battle of 2024 but also the upcoming civic polls. The SP has decided to fight the urban local body polls on its symbol for the first time.

    The Akhilesh-Shivpal reunion had been visible since the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. It has now been cemented by Dimple Yadav’s victory. Hours after Akhilesh presented his party flag to Shivpal in Saifai on Thursday, the latter and his son Aditya changed their Twitter accounts to identify themselves as SP leaders.

    “In the coming days, chachaji will be given a bigger role in Samajwadi Party and his party workers will be given due respect,” Akhilesh said. Dimple’s victory in Mainpuri with a margin of over 2.88 lakh votes over BJP’s Raghuraj Singh Shakya consolidated the reconciliation between Akhilesh and Shivpal. 

    “Being seen as homecoming, the merger of his party with SP will strengthen the hands of not only Akhilesh but also reduce the challenges for Shivpal who had been side lined,” Reoti Raman Singh, an SP veteran, said.

    The family feud had hurt the prospects of the uncle and nephew in three polls since 2017, and the BJP had cashed in on it. “Akhilesh would get the benefit of this reunion in potato belt comprising Kannauj, Firozabad, Auraiyya, Etawah, Mainpuri and Farrukhbad as Shivpal has a respectable following here,” JP Shukla, a political commentator, said.  

    LUCKNOW:  The merger of Shivpal Yadav-led Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia and Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party prompt the BJP to return to the drawing board to devise a fresh strategy for not only the big battle of 2024 but also the upcoming civic polls. The SP has decided to fight the urban local body polls on its symbol for the first time.

    The Akhilesh-Shivpal reunion had been visible since the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav. It has now been cemented by Dimple Yadav’s victory. Hours after Akhilesh presented his party flag to Shivpal in Saifai on Thursday, the latter and his son Aditya changed their Twitter accounts to identify themselves as SP leaders.

    “In the coming days, chachaji will be given a bigger role in Samajwadi Party and his party workers will be given due respect,” Akhilesh said. Dimple’s victory in Mainpuri with a margin of over 2.88 lakh votes over BJP’s Raghuraj Singh Shakya consolidated the reconciliation between Akhilesh and Shivpal. 

    “Being seen as homecoming, the merger of his party with SP will strengthen the hands of not only Akhilesh but also reduce the challenges for Shivpal who had been side lined,” Reoti Raman Singh, an SP veteran, said.

    The family feud had hurt the prospects of the uncle and nephew in three polls since 2017, and the BJP had cashed in on it. “Akhilesh would get the benefit of this reunion in potato belt comprising Kannauj, Firozabad, Auraiyya, Etawah, Mainpuri and Farrukhbad as Shivpal has a respectable following here,” JP Shukla, a political commentator, said. 
     

  • Shivpal, Akhilesh Yadav come together in UP; merge PSPL with Samajwadi Party

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Amid the joy and celebrations of the resounding victory of Dimple Yadav, the SP candidate in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, uncle Shivpal Yadav buried the hatchet with nephew Akhilesh Yadav and merged his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSPL) with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Saifai on Thursday.

    Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cemented the merger of PSPL with SP by presenting his party flag to Shivpal Singh Yadav in his native village Safai. As per the party sources, both the leaders sat together in Saifai where Akhilesh presented his party’s flag to his uncle. Later, they posted photographs of the event on Twitter.

    An SP flag was also mounted on Shivpal Singh Yadav’s car by the party’s workers reflecting the possible coming together of the two parties. Confirming the merger, Shivpal told the media persons in Saifai that from now onwards he would be fulfilling whatever responsibility he would be given by the SP chief. “We have merged Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) with Samajwadi Party.

    In 2024, we will fight unitedly. From today, there will be a Samajwadi Party flag (on my car),” said Shivpal. With turbulent ties for the last five years, ‘chacha-bhatija’ finally came together to ensure the victory of Dimple Yadav in the bypoll necessitated due to the demise of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    In fact, Akhilesh along with Dimple broke the ice ahead of the Mainpuri bypoll by reaching out to Shivpal at his Etawah residence seeking his support to ensure Dimple’s victory in Mainpuri. Shivpal Yadav had also extensively campaigned for Dimple Yadav after her candidature was announced in the constituency vacated by her father-in-law’s death.

    In fact, Shivpal and Akhilesh had come together during the UP Assembly polls in 2022 when Shivpal contested on an SP ticket from the Jaswantnagar seat and won it with a margin of 28,000 votes. However, Shivpal was not content with the alliance with SP as Akhilesh had allegedly refused to spare more seats for PSPL.

    Rift re-emerged between Akhilesh and Shivpal after the latter expressed his annoyance with SP chief publicly over not being invited to SP MLAs’ meeting just after the assembly poll results.

    In the mean times, Shivpal’s growing proximity with the BJP leaders and his meeting with Yogi Adityanath triggered many reactions from the SP camp and his alliance with SP was broken on a bitter note when Akhilesh freed him and asked him to focus on his party.

    However, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s death in October brought the Yadavs together again.

    LUCKNOW: Amid the joy and celebrations of the resounding victory of Dimple Yadav, the SP candidate in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, uncle Shivpal Yadav buried the hatchet with nephew Akhilesh Yadav and merged his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSPL) with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Saifai on Thursday.

    Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cemented the merger of PSPL with SP by presenting his party flag to Shivpal Singh Yadav in his native village Safai. As per the party sources, both the leaders sat together in Saifai where Akhilesh presented his party’s flag to his uncle. Later, they posted photographs of the event on Twitter.

    An SP flag was also mounted on Shivpal Singh Yadav’s car by the party’s workers reflecting the possible coming together of the two parties. Confirming the merger, Shivpal told the media persons in Saifai that from now onwards he would be fulfilling whatever responsibility he would be given by the SP chief. “We have merged Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) with Samajwadi Party.

    In 2024, we will fight unitedly. From today, there will be a Samajwadi Party flag (on my car),” said Shivpal. With turbulent ties for the last five years, ‘chacha-bhatija’ finally came together to ensure the victory of Dimple Yadav in the bypoll necessitated due to the demise of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    In fact, Akhilesh along with Dimple broke the ice ahead of the Mainpuri bypoll by reaching out to Shivpal at his Etawah residence seeking his support to ensure Dimple’s victory in Mainpuri. Shivpal Yadav had also extensively campaigned for Dimple Yadav after her candidature was announced in the constituency vacated by her father-in-law’s death.

    In fact, Shivpal and Akhilesh had come together during the UP Assembly polls in 2022 when Shivpal contested on an SP ticket from the Jaswantnagar seat and won it with a margin of 28,000 votes. However, Shivpal was not content with the alliance with SP as Akhilesh had allegedly refused to spare more seats for PSPL.

    Rift re-emerged between Akhilesh and Shivpal after the latter expressed his annoyance with SP chief publicly over not being invited to SP MLAs’ meeting just after the assembly poll results.

    In the mean times, Shivpal’s growing proximity with the BJP leaders and his meeting with Yogi Adityanath triggered many reactions from the SP camp and his alliance with SP was broken on a bitter note when Akhilesh freed him and asked him to focus on his party.

    However, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s death in October brought the Yadavs together again.

  • Shivpal’s bonhomie with Akhilesh lands him in hot water

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Gravitating towards Samajwadi Party chief and nephew Akhilesh Yadav, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party -Lohia (PSPL) chief Shivpal Yadav seems to have landed in hot water.

    Shivpal Yadav is actively campaigning for Dimple Yadav, the SP candidate for the upcoming by-poll to the Mainpuri Lok Sabah seat.

    The sword of Damocles hangs over Shivpal’s head as the UP government downgraded his security cover from ‘Z’ to ‘Y’ category on Monday. Moreover, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought permission to interrogate him in connection with the multi-crore Gomti Riverfront scam in Lucknow. There is a threat of his losing his plush bungalow in Lucknow allotted to him by the Yogi government in 2018.

    The bungalow was allotted to him by virtue of being an MLA from Jaswantnagar. He had been using it as his party office ignoring all the norms. Even the authorities had been looking the other way so far as Shivpal had been blowing hot and cold about his relation with nephew Akhilesh and often praising Yogi government for keeping the possibility of aligning with the BJP open during the last 5 years.

    Shivpal had parted ways from SP and floated his own outfit –PSPL — following an intense family feud for one-upmanship over the party in 2018.

    Just ahead of the 2022 assembly polls, Akhilesh had approached Shivpal and successfully persuaded him to contest on SP ticket from Jaswantnagar. Shivpal won the seat but ended the alliance with Akhilesh on a bitter note accusing the SP chief of insulting and ignoring him by not inviting him to the meeting of SP MLAs.

    Even Akhilesh did little to save alliance with uncle and asked him to focus more on his own party than SP.

    The demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav once again brought the two close. After announcing the candidature of Dimple for Mainpuri bypoll, Akhilesh, flanked by wife, reached out to Shivpal knowing well his significance in winning over voters in Mainpuri where Shivpal had put his sweat and blood along with Mulayam to build the party organisation.

    Now with Shivpal and Akhilesh united and Shivpal holding an aggressive campaign in favour of Dimple Yadav, the state government has apparently increased the pressure on PSPL chief.

    With reference to Shivpal’s role in Gomti Riverfront project, he was state Irrigation Minister when the Gomti riverfront project was executed during the SP government’s tenure (2012-17).After coming to power in 2017, Yogi government ordered the first probe into alleged irregularities in Gomti Riverfront Project and got an FIR lodged against several people, including senior officials of the irrigation department on June 19, 2017. Later the probe was handed over to the CBI.

    However, the investigation into the scam had reportedly slowed down after the split between Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal and the perceived rising proximity between Shivpal and the BJP in the past. 

    The CBI probe initially confirmed that a budget of Rs 1,513 crore was sanctioned for the project and around Rs 1,437 crore was spent without completing even 60 per cent of the project work despite over 95% of the estimated budget being spent. Multiple anomalies surfaced in the expenditure. Besides, the company that was allotted work of the riverfront beautification was a defaulter. The Enforcement Directorate had also initiated a probe under the Money Laundering Act.

    On February 17, 2021, the CBI had filed a charge sheet in the CBI court in Lucknow against six people, including two directors of the firm that was allotted the work of river channelisation, and subsequently, two irrigation engineers in Lucknow were arrested.

    Even the decision to downgrade Shivpal Yadav’s security cover apparently comes in the backdrop of his aggressive campaigning in favour of Dimple Yadav for the December 5 Mainpuri Lok Sabha by-election.

    PSPL chief Shivpal Yadav, reacting to media queries about the likely CBI investigation against him and three others in the alleged Gomti riverfront scam, said he was not aware of it and was hearing it from the media.

    “It is on expected lines.…I have always worked for the benefit of people within the rules and regulations,” said Shivpal while reacting to possible grilling by CBI in connection with Riverfront interrogation over phone. he told reporters in Jaswant Nagar, Etawah. Shivpal is also SP MLA from Jaswant Nagar.

    LUCKNOW: Gravitating towards Samajwadi Party chief and nephew Akhilesh Yadav, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party -Lohia (PSPL) chief Shivpal Yadav seems to have landed in hot water.

    Shivpal Yadav is actively campaigning for Dimple Yadav, the SP candidate for the upcoming by-poll to the Mainpuri Lok Sabah seat.

    The sword of Damocles hangs over Shivpal’s head as the UP government downgraded his security cover from ‘Z’ to ‘Y’ category on Monday. Moreover, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought permission to interrogate him in connection with the multi-crore Gomti Riverfront scam in Lucknow. There is a threat of his losing his plush bungalow in Lucknow allotted to him by the Yogi government in 2018.

    The bungalow was allotted to him by virtue of being an MLA from Jaswantnagar. He had been using it as his party office ignoring all the norms. Even the authorities had been looking the other way so far as Shivpal had been blowing hot and cold about his relation with nephew Akhilesh and often praising Yogi government for keeping the possibility of aligning with the BJP open during the last 5 years.

    Shivpal had parted ways from SP and floated his own outfit –PSPL — following an intense family feud for one-upmanship over the party in 2018.

    Just ahead of the 2022 assembly polls, Akhilesh had approached Shivpal and successfully persuaded him to contest on SP ticket from Jaswantnagar. Shivpal won the seat but ended the alliance with Akhilesh on a bitter note accusing the SP chief of insulting and ignoring him by not inviting him to the meeting of SP MLAs.

    Even Akhilesh did little to save alliance with uncle and asked him to focus more on his own party than SP.

    The demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav once again brought the two close. After announcing the candidature of Dimple for Mainpuri bypoll, Akhilesh, flanked by wife, reached out to Shivpal knowing well his significance in winning over voters in Mainpuri where Shivpal had put his sweat and blood along with Mulayam to build the party organisation.

    Now with Shivpal and Akhilesh united and Shivpal holding an aggressive campaign in favour of Dimple Yadav, the state government has apparently increased the pressure on PSPL chief.

    With reference to Shivpal’s role in Gomti Riverfront project, he was state Irrigation Minister when the Gomti riverfront project was executed during the SP government’s tenure (2012-17).
    After coming to power in 2017, Yogi government ordered the first probe into alleged irregularities in Gomti Riverfront Project and got an FIR lodged against several people, including senior officials of the irrigation department on June 19, 2017. Later the probe was handed over to the CBI.

    However, the investigation into the scam had reportedly slowed down after the split between Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal and the perceived rising proximity between Shivpal and the BJP in the past. 

    The CBI probe initially confirmed that a budget of Rs 1,513 crore was sanctioned for the project and around Rs 1,437 crore was spent without completing even 60 per cent of the project work despite over 95% of the estimated budget being spent. Multiple anomalies surfaced in the expenditure. Besides, the company that was allotted work of the riverfront beautification was a defaulter. The Enforcement Directorate had also initiated a probe under the Money Laundering Act.

    On February 17, 2021, the CBI had filed a charge sheet in the CBI court in Lucknow against six people, including two directors of the firm that was allotted the work of river channelisation, and subsequently, two irrigation engineers in Lucknow were arrested.

    Even the decision to downgrade Shivpal Yadav’s security cover apparently comes in the backdrop of his aggressive campaigning in favour of Dimple Yadav for the December 5 Mainpuri Lok Sabha by-election.

    PSPL chief Shivpal Yadav, reacting to media queries about the likely CBI investigation against him and three others in the alleged Gomti riverfront scam, said he was not aware of it and was hearing it from the media.

    “It is on expected lines.…I have always worked for the benefit of people within the rules and regulations,” said Shivpal while reacting to possible grilling by CBI in connection with Riverfront interrogation over phone. he told reporters in Jaswant Nagar, Etawah. Shivpal is also SP MLA from Jaswant Nagar.

  • Not so simple: Mulayam card may not be enough for Dimple in Mainpuri

    By PTI

    MANIPURI: Winning the Mainpuri bypoll will not be a simple affair for SP’s Dimple Yadav unlike the past elections when her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav used to register effortless victories, some local residents feel.

    But many are of the view that she will make it, particularly because of the public sympathy for the veteran Samajwadi Party leader who died recently.

    The SP had announced the name of Dimple Yadav, wife of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, as its candidate for the Mainpuri parliamentary seat on November 10.

    “The bypoll will certainly not be simple for Dimple Yadav as the BJP is making all efforts to snatch the seat from the SP. A large number of BJP leaders are already camping in the city,” businessman Dhirendra Kumar Gupta told PTI.

    At the same time, Gupta said, the going will not be easy for the saffron party as its candidate Raghuraj Singh Shakya is meeting and greeting the voters as a formality.

    Unless the BJP workers don’t undertake door-to-door campaigning, it will be tough for Shakya to win, he said.

    “There cannot be any comparison between ‘neta ji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and his son Akhilesh Yadav, as the former knew each of his voters. But the Yadavs are more or less visiting each and every house in the constituency to ensure that they emerge victorious in the bypoll,” he said.

    Gupta asserted that the bypoll is the battle of ‘asmita’ (identity) for the Yadav family.

    The businessman further said that if the local BJP workers fail to make a connection with the voters, then bringing senior leaders, including ministers from Lucknow, for campaigning will have very less impact.

    For hotelier Hemant Pachauri, the upcoming bypoll is the best possible opportunity for the BJP to breach the SP fortress of Mainpuri due to the absence of Mulayam Singh Yadav or ‘neta ji’ to his legions of supporters.

    “If the SP loses the seat this time, it will prove to be the last nail in their political coffin. When in power, the SP had unleashed hooliganism in the city and people were feeling harassed. Now, the scene has changed.”

    “This bypoll is a fiercely contested one. At this point in time, it is difficult to say who will win or who has the edge. Things are different this time, especially in the absence of neta ji,” he said.

    “In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, neta ji had made an emotional appeal to the voters of the constituency urging them to vote for him and he won by a margin of around 94,000 votes with even the BSP supporting him. In the elections prior to 2019, neta ji’s victory margin was in lakhs,” Pachauri said.

    Local trader K K Gupta, however, said there is “no sympathy” for Dimple Yadav as people were fed up with the misrule of the SP when it was in power.

    “They heaved a sigh of relief after the BJP government came to power in the state, and the criminals were arrested. Since then, there has been a dip in crimes,” he claimed.

    Resident Bhupendra Singh too ruled out a sympathy wave for the SP and said the BJP will “create history” in the bypoll and win the seat.

    “The sympathy for Akhilesh Yadav vanished the day he took over the reins of the party from his father following a feud in the family. There is absolutely no sympathy for him, Dimple or for the SP,” he claimed.

    However, Shyam Bahadur Yadav, a self-proclaimed ‘Samajwadi tapasvi’ rejected the observations, saying people of Mainpuri are extending wholehearted support to the SP in general, and the “Saifai family” (Yadavs) in particular.

    “It is the people of Mainpuri, who are fighting the elections (against the BJP). The elections are important as they are being held after the demise of ‘neta ji’ the people of Mainpuri will elect Dimple and send her to Lok Sabha,” Yadav told PTI.

    Asked whether SP’s door-to-door campaigning will be any match for the BJP’s high-tech canvassing, the 50-year-old said, “The BJP indulges in high-decibel campaigning, and it is their only work. They are liars and are always flaunting. They play (songs on) the DJ, while we silently go from one house to another.”

    A resident of Kishni assembly constituency, Pushpendra Singh said Mulayam Singh Yadav had done a lot of work like constructing roads, schools, and hospitals and ensuring water and electricity supply for the people of the constituency.

    “What has the BJP done for the people of this place?” he said.

    Reacting to the BJP accusing the SP of indulging in dynastic politics, he said there is no ‘parivaarvaad’ in the party.

    Rishi Yadav (17), a student of BSc first year from Karhal assembly segment, who aspired to join the Indian Air Force, said, “Though I will be voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I am closely watching the election campaign and the SP is going to win the bypoll.”

    “From roads to expressways, whatever we have got, it is only due to neta ji. The young voters have shown their inclination towards the SP, and Dimple Yadav will win the bypoll with a greater margin,” he said.

    When asked to comment on BJP’s allegations of crime reigning supreme during the SP regime, Rishi Yadav said crimes are being committed even now.

    “In fact, they have only increased (under the BJP),” he claimed.

    Akhilesh Yadav represents the Karhal assembly seat, which is part of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5 while the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

    MANIPURI: Winning the Mainpuri bypoll will not be a simple affair for SP’s Dimple Yadav unlike the past elections when her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav used to register effortless victories, some local residents feel.

    But many are of the view that she will make it, particularly because of the public sympathy for the veteran Samajwadi Party leader who died recently.

    The SP had announced the name of Dimple Yadav, wife of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, as its candidate for the Mainpuri parliamentary seat on November 10.

    “The bypoll will certainly not be simple for Dimple Yadav as the BJP is making all efforts to snatch the seat from the SP. A large number of BJP leaders are already camping in the city,” businessman Dhirendra Kumar Gupta told PTI.

    At the same time, Gupta said, the going will not be easy for the saffron party as its candidate Raghuraj Singh Shakya is meeting and greeting the voters as a formality.

    Unless the BJP workers don’t undertake door-to-door campaigning, it will be tough for Shakya to win, he said.

    “There cannot be any comparison between ‘neta ji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and his son Akhilesh Yadav, as the former knew each of his voters. But the Yadavs are more or less visiting each and every house in the constituency to ensure that they emerge victorious in the bypoll,” he said.

    Gupta asserted that the bypoll is the battle of ‘asmita’ (identity) for the Yadav family.

    The businessman further said that if the local BJP workers fail to make a connection with the voters, then bringing senior leaders, including ministers from Lucknow, for campaigning will have very less impact.

    For hotelier Hemant Pachauri, the upcoming bypoll is the best possible opportunity for the BJP to breach the SP fortress of Mainpuri due to the absence of Mulayam Singh Yadav or ‘neta ji’ to his legions of supporters.

    “If the SP loses the seat this time, it will prove to be the last nail in their political coffin. When in power, the SP had unleashed hooliganism in the city and people were feeling harassed. Now, the scene has changed.”

    “This bypoll is a fiercely contested one. At this point in time, it is difficult to say who will win or who has the edge. Things are different this time, especially in the absence of neta ji,” he said.

    “In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, neta ji had made an emotional appeal to the voters of the constituency urging them to vote for him and he won by a margin of around 94,000 votes with even the BSP supporting him. In the elections prior to 2019, neta ji’s victory margin was in lakhs,” Pachauri said.

    Local trader K K Gupta, however, said there is “no sympathy” for Dimple Yadav as people were fed up with the misrule of the SP when it was in power.

    “They heaved a sigh of relief after the BJP government came to power in the state, and the criminals were arrested. Since then, there has been a dip in crimes,” he claimed.

    Resident Bhupendra Singh too ruled out a sympathy wave for the SP and said the BJP will “create history” in the bypoll and win the seat.

    “The sympathy for Akhilesh Yadav vanished the day he took over the reins of the party from his father following a feud in the family. There is absolutely no sympathy for him, Dimple or for the SP,” he claimed.

    However, Shyam Bahadur Yadav, a self-proclaimed ‘Samajwadi tapasvi’ rejected the observations, saying people of Mainpuri are extending wholehearted support to the SP in general, and the “Saifai family” (Yadavs) in particular.

    “It is the people of Mainpuri, who are fighting the elections (against the BJP). The elections are important as they are being held after the demise of ‘neta ji’ the people of Mainpuri will elect Dimple and send her to Lok Sabha,” Yadav told PTI.

    Asked whether SP’s door-to-door campaigning will be any match for the BJP’s high-tech canvassing, the 50-year-old said, “The BJP indulges in high-decibel campaigning, and it is their only work. They are liars and are always flaunting. They play (songs on) the DJ, while we silently go from one house to another.”

    A resident of Kishni assembly constituency, Pushpendra Singh said Mulayam Singh Yadav had done a lot of work like constructing roads, schools, and hospitals and ensuring water and electricity supply for the people of the constituency.

    “What has the BJP done for the people of this place?” he said.

    Reacting to the BJP accusing the SP of indulging in dynastic politics, he said there is no ‘parivaarvaad’ in the party.

    Rishi Yadav (17), a student of BSc first year from Karhal assembly segment, who aspired to join the Indian Air Force, said, “Though I will be voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I am closely watching the election campaign and the SP is going to win the bypoll.”

    “From roads to expressways, whatever we have got, it is only due to neta ji. The young voters have shown their inclination towards the SP, and Dimple Yadav will win the bypoll with a greater margin,” he said.

    When asked to comment on BJP’s allegations of crime reigning supreme during the SP regime, Rishi Yadav said crimes are being committed even now.

    “In fact, they have only increased (under the BJP),” he claimed.

    Akhilesh Yadav represents the Karhal assembly seat, which is part of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5 while the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

  • Akhilesh Yadav hints at contesting 2024 Lok Sabha poll from Kannauj

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Thursday, dropped indications of contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024 from Kannauj, the parliamentary constituency from where had taken his electoral plunge in 2000.

    While participating in a personal event, Akhilesh interacted with mediapersons and said, “What will I do if I am sitting idle? I will fight the election. Our job is to contest elections.”

    Akhilesh Yadav went on to say he will contest from where he had contested for the first time.

    However, the Samajwadi Party chief rushed to add that the final call will be taken by the party as a whole when the occasion comes.

    Notably, Akhilesh had contested and won the Kannauj bypoll in the year 2000 and become a parliamentarian for the first time. He retained the seat in 2004 and 2009.

    ALSO READ | Akhilesh-Shivpal bonhomie talk of the town; but its longevity depends on Mainpuri bypoll results

    At present, Akhilesh is an MLA from the Karhal assembly seat, which falls in Mainpuri. During the 2022 Assembly polls, he had decided to relinquish his Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat and contest from his traditional bastion Karhal.

    Meanwhile, in 2019, Subrat Pathak of the BJP had won the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat defeating SP candidate Dimple Yadav by a margin of 12353 votes.

    Dimple herself had made her debut in electoral politics from the seat which she had won after Akhilesh Yadav resigned from the Lok Sabha in 2012 after taking over as the youngest Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

    Dimple has also represented Kannauj in Lok Sabha in 2014.

    Meanwhile, the party has fielded Dimple Yadav as the party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, necessitated by the death of her father-in-law and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, on Thursday, dropped indications of contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024 from Kannauj, the parliamentary constituency from where had taken his electoral plunge in 2000.

    While participating in a personal event, Akhilesh interacted with mediapersons and said, “What will I do if I am sitting idle? I will fight the election. Our job is to contest elections.”

    Akhilesh Yadav went on to say he will contest from where he had contested for the first time.

    However, the Samajwadi Party chief rushed to add that the final call will be taken by the party as a whole when the occasion comes.

    Notably, Akhilesh had contested and won the Kannauj bypoll in the year 2000 and become a parliamentarian for the first time. He retained the seat in 2004 and 2009.

    ALSO READ | Akhilesh-Shivpal bonhomie talk of the town; but its longevity depends on Mainpuri bypoll results

    At present, Akhilesh is an MLA from the Karhal assembly seat, which falls in Mainpuri. During the 2022 Assembly polls, he had decided to relinquish his Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat and contest from his traditional bastion Karhal.

    Meanwhile, in 2019, Subrat Pathak of the BJP had won the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat defeating SP candidate Dimple Yadav by a margin of 12353 votes.

    Dimple herself had made her debut in electoral politics from the seat which she had won after Akhilesh Yadav resigned from the Lok Sabha in 2012 after taking over as the youngest Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

    Dimple has also represented Kannauj in Lok Sabha in 2014.

    Meanwhile, the party has fielded Dimple Yadav as the party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, necessitated by the death of her father-in-law and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

  • Mainpuri bypoll campaign: Akhilesh Yadav touches uncle Shivpal’s feet at election rally

    By PTI

    ETAWAH: In a show of bonhomie during the campaign for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday touched the feet of his uncle Shivpal Yadav and asserted that there has never been any strain in their relationship.

    Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav termed the bypolls a high stake contest, and told the audience that the family has become one.

    He also said that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government peddles a lot of lies.

    Addressing an election rally in the family bastion of Saifai, Akhilesh Yadav asserted that his party will register a historic win in the bypoll.

    Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, has been fielded from the seat, which has been represented by the SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of Mulayam Singh last month.

    “The bypolls are taking place at a time when ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is not among us. The entire country is watching this election, and I can say that the entire country will see how the Samajwadi Party registers a historic win,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    After remaining at loggerheads since 2017, Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle had decided to mend fences before the 2022 Assembly polls.

    Both had put up a united front at the behest of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    #WATCH | Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav meets PSP chief Shivpal Yadav, touches his feet atop the stage while campaigning for the byelections in Mainpuri, UP pic.twitter.com/c82LOivUqb
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 20, 2022
    However, the cracks appeared again after the poll in which the BJP came back to power.

    “At times people say that there is ‘dooriyaan’ (distance). There was no ‘dooriyaan’ between ‘chacha’ (uncle) and ‘bhatija’ (nephew). ‘Dooriyaan’ was there in politics. I had never considered any ‘dooriyaan’ between uncle and nephew. And, I am happy that today the ‘dooriyaan’ in politics has also ended,” Akhilesh Yadav said to a rousing applause from public.

    “And it is because of this that the BJP is feeling frightened. It knows that the people of Jaswantnagar have made up their mind to vote for the SP. Karhal is also walking along, and the people of Mainpuri too have made up their mind ,” the SP chief said.

    Jaswantnagar and Karhal are represented by Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav respectively in the UP assembly.

    The poll campaign on Sunday saw Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and SP general secretary Ramgopal Yadav sharing the stage.

    During the rally, Akhilesh Yadav also said that this is the first government (referring to the BJP), which has forgotten its promises.

    “When there is a strain in a relationship they say that there is a feud, and when we become one, they would term us as ‘parivaar vaadi’ party. This is the problem of the BJP people and it will remain, because everywhere they look out for shortcomings,” he said.

    “It is BJP propaganda that aims to show us as a party of one family, a party of one caste, and seek support of people of one particular religion. ‘Netaji’ has always taught us the politics of brotherhood and amity, and how to give respect to people,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    The SP chief urged the party workers to walk on the path shown by his father, and change the course of the country and that of the society.

    “The BJP should not make any claims on development. They can make claims about potholes on the road or that of corruption,” he said, and added that whatever development has taken place in the region, it is because of the ‘Samajwadis.’

    He cited Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai as an example of such progress.

    “Had ‘Netaji’ not been adamant, the Lucknow-Agra expressway would not have been made in 23 months. This expressway was found to be the best expressway in the country. When he was invited for the foundation stone laying ceremony, he had said that he would lay the foundation stone only when he knew the date of inauguration. The day on which the foundation stone was laid was the birthday of ‘Netaji’, and the day when it was inaugurated was also his birthday,” the SP chief said.

    He also said that the ongoing bypolls are important as after the BJP’s defeat in Bengal and change in power equation in Bihar, it was UP’s turn to halt the victory run of BJP and prevent it from coming to power at the centre.

    Akhilesh Yadav said that in line with an advice given by Ramgopal Yadav — given earlier in the meeting, he said — the party has to take stock of the EVMs till the very end to prevent any malfeasance. “Because this government will not tell you where 20 lakh EVMs have disappeared. Last time you made us win the polls, but the administration defeated us. In the (postal) ballot, we won almost 300 seats.”

    Shivpal Singh Yadav said, “Reputation is at stake in this election. Dimple is our daughter-in-law. Everyone who is sitting here carries a part of ‘Netaji.’ This is a fight for honour, and all the records have to be made in this election itself. This is true that you have told us to unite, and we have become one. And now it is your responsibility to ensure a victory by record margin. Whenever such challenges have sprung before the people of Jaswantnagar, they have emerged victorious,” Shivpal Singh Yadav said.

    He also said that ever since the BJP came to power in UP, the problems of the people have only increased.

    “The BJP government peddles a lot of misinformation. We want to know that in the past 10 years, has it done any work for the people of UP?” he said.

    “BJP has encouraged poverty, unemployment, corruption. It has worked to disturb the people of the entire state. If the public has to go to any office, they have to pay a bribe,” he said.

    Akhilesh Yadav had on last Thursday met the PSPL chief along with Dimple Yadav, and shared a picture of them together.

    In a tweet after the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav had then said, “Along with the blessings of Netaji and elders of the family, the people of Mainpuri are also with us.”

    Exhorting the party workers to ensure the party’s win, Ramgopal Yadav said, “When you have defeated the BJP in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, then people will realise that the BJP too can be defeated, not only in Mainpuri, but also in the state and in the country.”

    “The country is being run by a dictatorial government. Everyone is tortured, and no one is getting any relief. Some people of the BJP were telling us yesterday that the work which used to cost Rs 100 in the earlier government, now costs at least Rs 1,000. There is loot in police stations and tehsil (offices),” he said.

    On Wednesday, Shivpal Yadav had held a meeting with the party workers for the bypoll.

    Shivpal Singh Yadav’s role in the election assumes importance as his assembly constituency Jaswantnagar comes under the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

    He has a close relationship with the people of Mainpuri and used to go as Mulayam’s representative in various programmes there whenever the SP patriarch was unavailable.

    The PSP(L) chief’s campaigning in favour of Dimple is also considered important as Raghuraj Singh Shakya, BJP’s nominee from the seat, was once a close aide of him.

    Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5, while counting of votes will take place on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary constituency has five assembly segments of Mainpuri, Bhongaon, Kishni, Karhal and Jaswant Nagar.

    In the 2022 assembly elections, the SP won the Karhal, Kishni and the Jaswantnagar seats, while the BJP won the Mainpuri and the Bhogaon seats.

    Akhilesh’s Karhal assembly seat is also part of Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

    ETAWAH: In a show of bonhomie during the campaign for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday touched the feet of his uncle Shivpal Yadav and asserted that there has never been any strain in their relationship.

    Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav termed the bypolls a high stake contest, and told the audience that the family has become one.

    He also said that the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government peddles a lot of lies.

    Addressing an election rally in the family bastion of Saifai, Akhilesh Yadav asserted that his party will register a historic win in the bypoll.

    Dimple Yadav, the wife of Akhilesh Yadav, has been fielded from the seat, which has been represented by the SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of Mulayam Singh last month.

    “The bypolls are taking place at a time when ‘Netaji’ (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is not among us. The entire country is watching this election, and I can say that the entire country will see how the Samajwadi Party registers a historic win,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    After remaining at loggerheads since 2017, Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle had decided to mend fences before the 2022 Assembly polls.

    Both had put up a united front at the behest of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

    #WATCH | Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav meets PSP chief Shivpal Yadav, touches his feet atop the stage while campaigning for the byelections in Mainpuri, UP pic.twitter.com/c82LOivUqb
    — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) November 20, 2022
    However, the cracks appeared again after the poll in which the BJP came back to power.

    “At times people say that there is ‘dooriyaan’ (distance). There was no ‘dooriyaan’ between ‘chacha’ (uncle) and ‘bhatija’ (nephew). ‘Dooriyaan’ was there in politics. I had never considered any ‘dooriyaan’ between uncle and nephew. And, I am happy that today the ‘dooriyaan’ in politics has also ended,” Akhilesh Yadav said to a rousing applause from public.

    “And it is because of this that the BJP is feeling frightened. It knows that the people of Jaswantnagar have made up their mind to vote for the SP. Karhal is also walking along, and the people of Mainpuri too have made up their mind ,” the SP chief said.

    Jaswantnagar and Karhal are represented by Shivpal and Akhilesh Yadav respectively in the UP assembly.

    The poll campaign on Sunday saw Akhilesh Yadav, Shivpal Yadav and SP general secretary Ramgopal Yadav sharing the stage.

    During the rally, Akhilesh Yadav also said that this is the first government (referring to the BJP), which has forgotten its promises.

    “When there is a strain in a relationship they say that there is a feud, and when we become one, they would term us as ‘parivaar vaadi’ party. This is the problem of the BJP people and it will remain, because everywhere they look out for shortcomings,” he said.

    “It is BJP propaganda that aims to show us as a party of one family, a party of one caste, and seek support of people of one particular religion. ‘Netaji’ has always taught us the politics of brotherhood and amity, and how to give respect to people,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

    The SP chief urged the party workers to walk on the path shown by his father, and change the course of the country and that of the society.

    “The BJP should not make any claims on development. They can make claims about potholes on the road or that of corruption,” he said, and added that whatever development has taken place in the region, it is because of the ‘Samajwadis.’

    He cited Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences in Saifai as an example of such progress.

    “Had ‘Netaji’ not been adamant, the Lucknow-Agra expressway would not have been made in 23 months. This expressway was found to be the best expressway in the country. When he was invited for the foundation stone laying ceremony, he had said that he would lay the foundation stone only when he knew the date of inauguration. The day on which the foundation stone was laid was the birthday of ‘Netaji’, and the day when it was inaugurated was also his birthday,” the SP chief said.

    He also said that the ongoing bypolls are important as after the BJP’s defeat in Bengal and change in power equation in Bihar, it was UP’s turn to halt the victory run of BJP and prevent it from coming to power at the centre.

    Akhilesh Yadav said that in line with an advice given by Ramgopal Yadav — given earlier in the meeting, he said — the party has to take stock of the EVMs till the very end to prevent any malfeasance. “Because this government will not tell you where 20 lakh EVMs have disappeared. Last time you made us win the polls, but the administration defeated us. In the (postal) ballot, we won almost 300 seats.”

    Shivpal Singh Yadav said, “Reputation is at stake in this election. Dimple is our daughter-in-law. Everyone who is sitting here carries a part of ‘Netaji.’ This is a fight for honour, and all the records have to be made in this election itself. This is true that you have told us to unite, and we have become one. And now it is your responsibility to ensure a victory by record margin. Whenever such challenges have sprung before the people of Jaswantnagar, they have emerged victorious,” Shivpal Singh Yadav said.

    He also said that ever since the BJP came to power in UP, the problems of the people have only increased.

    “The BJP government peddles a lot of misinformation. We want to know that in the past 10 years, has it done any work for the people of UP?” he said.

    “BJP has encouraged poverty, unemployment, corruption. It has worked to disturb the people of the entire state. If the public has to go to any office, they have to pay a bribe,” he said.

    Akhilesh Yadav had on last Thursday met the PSPL chief along with Dimple Yadav, and shared a picture of them together.

    In a tweet after the meeting, Akhilesh Yadav had then said, “Along with the blessings of Netaji and elders of the family, the people of Mainpuri are also with us.”

    Exhorting the party workers to ensure the party’s win, Ramgopal Yadav said, “When you have defeated the BJP in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, then people will realise that the BJP too can be defeated, not only in Mainpuri, but also in the state and in the country.”

    “The country is being run by a dictatorial government. Everyone is tortured, and no one is getting any relief. Some people of the BJP were telling us yesterday that the work which used to cost Rs 100 in the earlier government, now costs at least Rs 1,000. There is loot in police stations and tehsil (offices),” he said.

    On Wednesday, Shivpal Yadav had held a meeting with the party workers for the bypoll.

    Shivpal Singh Yadav’s role in the election assumes importance as his assembly constituency Jaswantnagar comes under the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

    He has a close relationship with the people of Mainpuri and used to go as Mulayam’s representative in various programmes there whenever the SP patriarch was unavailable.

    The PSP(L) chief’s campaigning in favour of Dimple is also considered important as Raghuraj Singh Shakya, BJP’s nominee from the seat, was once a close aide of him.

    Polling in Mainpuri will be held on December 5, while counting of votes will take place on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary constituency has five assembly segments of Mainpuri, Bhongaon, Kishni, Karhal and Jaswant Nagar.

    In the 2022 assembly elections, the SP won the Karhal, Kishni and the Jaswantnagar seats, while the BJP won the Mainpuri and the Bhogaon seats.

    Akhilesh’s Karhal assembly seat is also part of Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency.

  • UP: Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav files nomination for Mainpuri bypoll

    By PTI

    MAINPURI:  Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll Dimple Yadav filed her nomination papers on Monday.

    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and MP Ramgopal Yadav accompanied 44-year-old Dimple during the filing of nomination papers at the District Magistrate’s office here.

    Before submitting the papers, Dimple touched the feet of Ramgopal Yadav. Former MP from Mainpuri Tej Pratap and SP district president Alok Sakya were also accompanying them.

    The bypolls for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat will be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10.Dimple, a former MP from Kannauj, will seek to hold the party’s 26-year grip over the Mainpuri seat. The daughter-in-law of ‘Netaji’ returns to active politics after she lost Kannauj to the BJP in the 2019 general election.

    Filing of nominations has started and the last date for filing of nominations is November 17. The BJP is yet to announce its nominee for the seat.READ | JD(U) appeals to BJP, other parties to not field candidate against Dimple Yadav

    MAINPURI:  Samajwadi Party candidate for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll Dimple Yadav filed her nomination papers on Monday.

    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and MP Ramgopal Yadav accompanied 44-year-old Dimple during the filing of nomination papers at the District Magistrate’s office here.

    Before submitting the papers, Dimple touched the feet of Ramgopal Yadav. Former MP from Mainpuri Tej Pratap and SP district president Alok Sakya were also accompanying them.

    The bypolls for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat will be held on December 5 and the result will be declared on December 8.

    The Mainpuri parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10.
    Dimple, a former MP from Kannauj, will seek to hold the party’s 26-year grip over the Mainpuri seat. The daughter-in-law of ‘Netaji’ returns to active politics after she lost Kannauj to the BJP in the 2019 general election.

    Filing of nominations has started and the last date for filing of nominations is November 17. The BJP is yet to announce its nominee for the seat.READ | JD(U) appeals to BJP, other parties to not field candidate against Dimple Yadav

  • Mainpuri, Rampur bypoll: Challenges galore for SP leadership

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: After suffering massive defeats in the 2022 assembly polls and the Gola Gokarannath bypoll, the Samajwadi Party is back to the drawing board as it faces a number of challenges in trying to save its fort in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat and the Rampur (Sadar) assembly seat where the bypolls are due on December 5, 2022. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was huddled with the senior party leaders in Lucknow on Monday to decide on the strategy and deliberate over the possible faces to be fielded in the two constituencies.

    Notably, both seats are considered to be bastions of the Samajwadis. The bypoll in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has been necessitated due to the demise of sitting MP and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav after a prolonged illness on October 10, 2022.

    On the other, SP stalwart Mohammad Azam Khan’s disqualification from the state assembly owing to his conviction in a hate speech case has led to bypoll in Rampur (Sadar) seat which Azam Khan had won 10th time during the UP assembly election in 2022 while being in jail. He had trounced his nearest rival BJP’s Akash Saxena by a huge margin of 55,000 votes.

    On one hand, the SP leadership faces the task of keeping the morale of the cadre high after the Gola drubbing as they have to continue the momentum in Mainpuri and Rampur, on the other, a decision over the faces to be fielded on both sides to match the stature of Mulayam and Azam has to be made.

    “The party, at present, seems cagey about the previous by-poll defeats in its bastions — Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha — at the hands of ruling BJP, in June this year,” says Prof AK Mishra, a prominent political scientist. “While SP’s first family pride would be put to test in Mainpuri which was represented by Mulayam Singh Yadav for five times since 1996 in Lok Sabha, the battle of Rampur Sadar will not be a cakewalk for it as the ruling party has already captured the Lok Sabha constituency,” said Prof Mishra.

    Significantly, Mulayam had a tight grip on Mainpuri where SP remained invincible for the last 22 years. Either Mulayam himself or any member of the Yadav clan have represented it in Parliament.

    “The challenge to retain both the seats is there. If the ruling party succeeds in wresting even one of the two seats from SP, it would be demoralising for the SP supporters and workers ahead of the bigger battle of 2024,” said Prof Mishra.

    As per the highly placed SP sources, Akhilesh held a series of meetings with local leaders of Mainpuri to arrive at a consensus over the candidate for the Lok Sabha seats on Saturday and Sunday.

    The common refrain remained that a family member should be fielded who could take the legacy of ‘Netaji’ forward. “The names of SP chief’s wife and former MP Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav and his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav cropped up during the discussion as front runners who could be entrusted with the responsibility of Mainpuri,” said a senior SP leader seeking anonymity. 

    However, the political experts also stress that Akhilesh needs to take Shivpal along in the scheme of things to be successful.

    In Rampur, the decision on the candidate would be done taking Azam Khan into confidence and giving preference to his choice of candidate in his stronghold.

    The SP is treading cautiously after consecutive defeats in the last three by-polls during which the SP chief kept himself away from campaigning while resting his confidence on party workers and local leaders. He, however, drew brickbats for his strategy after losing both Rampur and Azamgarh LS seats to the BJP.

    In Gola, while the BJP had put the entire battery of Yogi ministers to campaign for the party candidate, the SP campaign was led by state chief Naresh Uttam and Akhilesh had issued only a public appeal seeking support for his candidate. However, in the upcoming bypolls, Akhilesh is expected to hold the command of the party’s campaign as it is the question of saving pride and honour of the two stalwarts. Only time will tell.

    LUCKNOW: After suffering massive defeats in the 2022 assembly polls and the Gola Gokarannath bypoll, the Samajwadi Party is back to the drawing board as it faces a number of challenges in trying to save its fort in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat and the Rampur (Sadar) assembly seat where the bypolls are due on December 5, 2022. 
    SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was huddled with the senior party leaders in Lucknow on Monday to decide on the strategy and deliberate over the possible faces to be fielded in the two constituencies.

    Notably, both seats are considered to be bastions of the Samajwadis. The bypoll in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat has been necessitated due to the demise of sitting MP and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav after a prolonged illness on October 10, 2022.

    On the other, SP stalwart Mohammad Azam Khan’s disqualification from the state assembly owing to his conviction in a hate speech case has led to bypoll in Rampur (Sadar) seat which Azam Khan had won 10th time during the UP assembly election in 2022 while being in jail. He had trounced his nearest rival BJP’s Akash Saxena by a huge margin of 55,000 votes.

    On one hand, the SP leadership faces the task of keeping the morale of the cadre high after the Gola drubbing as they have to continue the momentum in Mainpuri and Rampur, on the other, a decision over the faces to be fielded on both sides to match the stature of Mulayam and Azam has to be made.

    “The party, at present, seems cagey about the previous by-poll defeats in its bastions — Rampur and Azamgarh Lok Sabha — at the hands of ruling BJP, in June this year,” says Prof AK Mishra, a prominent political scientist. “While SP’s first family pride would be put to test in Mainpuri which was represented by Mulayam Singh Yadav for five times since 1996 in Lok Sabha, the battle of Rampur Sadar will not be a cakewalk for it as the ruling party has already captured the Lok Sabha constituency,” said Prof Mishra.

    Significantly, Mulayam had a tight grip on Mainpuri where SP remained invincible for the last 22 years. Either Mulayam himself or any member of the Yadav clan have represented it in Parliament.

    “The challenge to retain both the seats is there. If the ruling party succeeds in wresting even one of the two seats from SP, it would be demoralising for the SP supporters and workers ahead of the bigger battle of 2024,” said Prof Mishra.

    As per the highly placed SP sources, Akhilesh held a series of meetings with local leaders of Mainpuri to arrive at a consensus over the candidate for the Lok Sabha seats on Saturday and Sunday.

    The common refrain remained that a family member should be fielded who could take the legacy of ‘Netaji’ forward. “The names of SP chief’s wife and former MP Dimple Yadav, Akhilesh’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav and his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav cropped up during the discussion as front runners who could be entrusted with the responsibility of Mainpuri,” said a senior SP leader seeking anonymity. 

    However, the political experts also stress that Akhilesh needs to take Shivpal along in the scheme of things to be successful.

    In Rampur, the decision on the candidate would be done taking Azam Khan into confidence and giving preference to his choice of candidate in his stronghold.

    The SP is treading cautiously after consecutive defeats in the last three by-polls during which the SP chief kept himself away from campaigning while resting his confidence on party workers and local leaders. He, however, drew brickbats for his strategy after losing both Rampur and Azamgarh LS seats to the BJP.

    In Gola, while the BJP had put the entire battery of Yogi ministers to campaign for the party candidate, the SP campaign was led by state chief Naresh Uttam and Akhilesh had issued only a public appeal seeking support for his candidate. However, in the upcoming bypolls, Akhilesh is expected to hold the command of the party’s campaign as it is the question of saving pride and honour of the two stalwarts. Only time will tell.

  • Substantiate claims on deletion of voter names: EC to Akhilesh Yadav

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has asked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to substantiate his allegation against the poll authority of mass deletion of voters from Yadav and Muslim communities from the electoral rolls of every assembly seat during the Uttar Pradesh elections this year.

    In a letter to Yadav, the Commission has asked him to submit by November 10 assembly-wise evidence of the wrongful deletions and complaints filed by the Samajwadi Party (SP) with the district and state electoral authorities in this regard.

    Addressing a party meeting last month, Yadav had accused the poll panel of “deleting” the names of Muslim and Yadav votes in every assembly constituency.

    It is learned that the Commission had told Yadav that it had not received any complaint about the deletion of names of 20,000 voters from the electoral rolls of any constituency.

    The Commission also said that its district and state electoral officers had not flagged any such issue of mass deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls in every assembly constituency.

    ALSO READ | 2022 UP polls: Akhilesh threatens stir, says EC deleted details of 16 lakh voters from list 

    The poll authority said one Samajwadi Party candidate had complained about deletion of names of 10,000 voters from the electoral rolls in the Aligang assembly constituency.

    The Commission said on enquiry, the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh had found the allegations with regard to the Aligang assembly seat to be “baseless, unsubstantiated and factually incorrect”.

    Given the legal provisions for preparation of electoral roll and safeguards against wrongful deletions, the SOPs laid by the Commission leave no scope for mass deletion of the names of bonafide electors from the electoral roll.

    The Commission said suo-moto deletion of names of voters is “strictly prohibited” during an election year.

    It noted that each and every deletion is made after following due procedure of law by giving ample opportunity to the person concerned.

    NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has asked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to substantiate his allegation against the poll authority of mass deletion of voters from Yadav and Muslim communities from the electoral rolls of every assembly seat during the Uttar Pradesh elections this year.

    In a letter to Yadav, the Commission has asked him to submit by November 10 assembly-wise evidence of the wrongful deletions and complaints filed by the Samajwadi Party (SP) with the district and state electoral authorities in this regard.

    Addressing a party meeting last month, Yadav had accused the poll panel of “deleting” the names of Muslim and Yadav votes in every assembly constituency.

    It is learned that the Commission had told Yadav that it had not received any complaint about the deletion of names of 20,000 voters from the electoral rolls of any constituency.

    The Commission also said that its district and state electoral officers had not flagged any such issue of mass deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls in every assembly constituency.

    ALSO READ | 2022 UP polls: Akhilesh threatens stir, says EC deleted details of 16 lakh voters from list 

    The poll authority said one Samajwadi Party candidate had complained about deletion of names of 10,000 voters from the electoral rolls in the Aligang assembly constituency.

    The Commission said on enquiry, the Chief Electoral Officer of Uttar Pradesh had found the allegations with regard to the Aligang assembly seat to be “baseless, unsubstantiated and factually incorrect”.

    Given the legal provisions for preparation of electoral roll and safeguards against wrongful deletions, the SOPs laid by the Commission leave no scope for mass deletion of the names of bonafide electors from the electoral roll.

    The Commission said suo-moto deletion of names of voters is “strictly prohibited” during an election year.

    It noted that each and every deletion is made after following due procedure of law by giving ample opportunity to the person concerned.