In a significant development, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav declared today that Akhilesh Yadav will officially enter the electoral fray from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat. Speaking to India Today TV, Ram Gopal Yadav disclosed that Akhilesh Yadav is slated to file his nomination at 12 pm tomorrow.
This announcement comes amidst recent speculations regarding the candidature from Kannauj, following the Samajwadi Party’s earlier declaration of Tej Pratap Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s nephew, as its candidate for the constituency in Uttar Pradesh. However, Ram Gopal Yadav’s assertion has put an end to any confusion regarding the party’s nominee from Kannauj.
Akhilesh Yadav, when approached regarding the speculation surrounding his candidacy from Kannauj, remained tight-lipped, stating, “When nomination happens, then you will come to know. The question is of Kannauj’s historic victory.” He further emphasized the growing support for the INDIA bloc, expressing confidence in the party’s prospects in the upcoming election.
A seasoned politician, Akhilesh Yadav has a rich political history, having previously served as a Lok Sabha MP from 2000-2012. He vacated the Kannauj parliamentary seat in 2012 upon assuming the role of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Despite his party’s inability to form a government in UP in 2017, Yadav remained a prominent figure in state politics, securing victory as a Lok Sabha MP in 2019 and subsequently winning a seat in the UP Assembly in 2022.
However, the decision to field Tej Pratap Yadav had caused a stir among Samajwadi Party workers in Kannauj, as revealed in an India Today Ground Report. Many party loyalists expressed their discontent, believing that Akhilesh Yadav’s absence from the race could potentially benefit the BJP.
Former BJP MP Subrat Pathak, who claimed victory in the 2019 polls from Kannauj, asserted that the constituency is no longer a stronghold for the Samajwadi Party. He expressed a preference for Akhilesh Yadav’s candidacy, citing a lack of enthusiasm in the election due to Tej Pratap’s nomination.
Nevertheless, with Ram Gopal Yadav’s latest announcement, all eyes are now on Akhilesh Yadav as he prepares to file his nomination from the Kannauj seat, reaffirming his political presence in the region.