UP Lok Sabha Elections 2024: SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav Opts Out, Tej Pratap Yadav Steps In For Kannauj Seat

The suspense surrounding the Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav's candidature in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Kannauj has been resolved – he will not be contesting the Lok Sabha election this time. Instead, Tej Pratap Yadav emerges as the party's choice for the constituency.

Additionally, SP has announced Sanatan Pandey as its candidate for the Ballia seat. These crucial decisions were announced by the party on Monday, setting the stage for an intriguing electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh.

Akhilesh Yadav, who contested and won from Azamgarh in the last election by a staggering margin of over 2 lakh votes, has opted out of the electoral fray this time.

"This time, he will not contest the election himself but will lead the campaign and address meetings all across the state," stated SP leader Rajendra Chaudhry. With Akhilesh already serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the UP Vidhan Sabha, the decision was made after extensive deliberation that he should not contest the election.

Tej Pratap Yadav's Political Move

Tej Pratap Yadav, a former Member of Parliament from Mainpuri and the nephew of Akhilesh Yadav, is now set to contest from Kannauj. Notably, he is also the son-in-law of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, having married Lalu's daughter Rajlakshmi in 2015, with Prime Minister Modi among the attendees.

Initially slated for the Budaun seat, Tej Pratap's nomination from Kannauj follows subsequent developments. Here, he will face the incumbent BJP MP and candidate Subrata Pathak.

With Tej Pratap's entry into the electoral arena, the tally of Akhilesh Yadav's family members contesting this election rises to five, including Aditya Yadav (Budaun), Dimple Yadav (Mainpuri), Dharmendra Yadav (Azamgarh), Akshay Yadav (Firozabad), and now Tej Pratap (Kannauj).

Meanwhile, the SP has strategically chosen Sanatan Pandey, a prominent Brahmin figure, as its candidate for the Ballia constituency. Pandey, who previously served as an MLA from Chilkahar in 2007, is expected to present a formidable electoral challenge. In Ballia, he will face competition from Neeraj Shekhar, the son of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, who is contesting on the BJP ticket.

Sarita Singh's BJP Entry Adds Complexity To Pre-Lok Sabha Election Dynamics

Adding to the political dynamics, Sarita Singh, the wife of SP MLA Abhay Singh from the Gosaiganj seat in Ayodhya, made headlines by joining the BJP on Monday. Accompanied by her father-in-law Bhagwan Baksh Singh, Sarita Singh formally joined the BJP ranks at the party's Lucknow office. Her induction into the BJP was facilitated by Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

As the electoral landscape takes shape in Uttar Pradesh, these developments underscore the intensifying political maneuvers and alliances ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections.