lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Apr 18, 2019 15:06 IST

Amid chanting of slogans supporting the Samajwadi Party, its president Akhilesh Yadav filed his nomination papers from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. Yadav said the first phase of parliamentary polls saw “good voting in the favour of the alliance” in Uttar Pradesh.

“We worked for development of Azamgarh and will do the same in future too,” he said after filing nomination papers in Azamgarh.

The SP is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party of Mayawati and the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh. The SP chief said the second phase would also be favourable for the grand-alliance.

“Public of Azamgarh will give blessings to Samajwadis (socialists),” said Yadav before heading to Baitholi village of the district for his election rally.

A huge crowd participated in the nomination procession of Yadav. Supporters came from remote areas of the Lok Sabha constituency.

“I belong to Mubarakpur. I am a supporter of the SP chief. I reached Azamgarh in the morning to participate in the nomination procession,” Ashok Yadav said.

Arvind Sahney, an electrician at Azamgarh said, “Netaji and Akhilesh Bhaiya did a lot of work (ensured development) in the district. Sathiaon sugar mill came up when Akhileshji was chief minister of UP. The sugar mill helped cane growers in and around the district in a big way because they can sell their produce here.”

Azamgarh is considered a bastion of the Samajwadi Party. SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav won the seat in 2014. He defeated BJP candidate Ramakant Yadav, who recently joined the Congress. Mulayam Singh Yadav is contesting 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.

Mulayam Singh secured 35.43 per cent vote while Ramakant Yadav polled 28.85 per cent votes. BSP candidate Shah Alam received 27.75 per cent votes. The Congress had to content with 1.87 per cent vote. Rashtriya Ulema Council (RUC) Amir Rashid Madani succeeded in securing 1.38 per cent vote at the seat. A total of 56.38 per cent turnout was recorded at the seat.

In 2009, the BJP had received 35.13 per cent votes and its candidate Ramakant Yadav emerged victorious. He had defeated BSP candidate Akbar Ahmad Dumpy, who got 28.18 per cent votes. SP candidate Durga Prasad Yadav had polled 17.57 per cent votes.

This time SP-BSP is in alliance. The BJP has fielded Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua.

There have been 18 MPs from Azamgarh constituency in 16 general elections and two by-elections. Of the 18 MPs from Azamgarh, 12 have been a Yadav candidate.

Caste equation favours Yadavs on the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat, where the upper castes constitute 2.90 lakh votes, OBC 6.80 lakh, Dalit 4.50 lakh and minorities 3.10 lakh.