Budaun, long celebrated for its spiritual essence and literary heritage, now finds itself at the forefront of a political metamorphosis, emerging as a battleground for the offspring of established political figures eager to etch their names into the electoral narrative.
Nestled in the heart of the Rohilkhand region in West Uttar Pradesh, this constituency has become synonymous with nurturing the political aspirations of heirs from diverse party affiliations.
The tradition of dynastic succession in politics began in 2009 Lok Sabha elections when Dharmendra Yadav, son of Abhay Ram Yadav and nephew of Samajwadi Party stalwart Mulayam Singh Yadav, ventured into the political arena from Budaun.
In a move that reshaped local political dynamics, Mulayam facilitated Dharmendra's candidacy, sidelining the incumbent MP Saleem Shervani. Angered by Mulayam’s behaviour Salem Shervani joined Congress and contested election against Dharmendra Yadav – but lost.
Dharmendra won the election again in 2014 despite the Modi wave, solidifying his as well as the party’s grip on the constituency.
The trend to launch political offspring continued in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as Sanghamitra Maurya, daughter of then Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya, entered the fray on a BJP ticket. Riding on the wave of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity, Sanghamitra won the election defeating Dharmendra Yadav, ending a 28-year BJP drought in the region.
In the realm of state politics, the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections witnessed yet another scion, Kunal Yadav, son of former MP and Rashtriya Parivartan Dal (RPD) chief DP Yadav, contesting from Sahaswan. Despite his lineage, Kunal faced defeat at the hands of the Samajwadi Party candidate.
As the stage is set for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, another political heir, Aditya Yadav, son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, is poised to mark his electoral debut from Budaun. Initially, SP had announced Shivpal Yadav as the party candidate but later switched over to Aditya, signalling a generational transition within the political dynasty.
Budaun, historically a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, presents a nuanced electoral landscape, with the SP relying on the Muslim-Yadav combination to reclaim the seat. However, the BJP, banking on support from non-Yadav OBCs and upper castes, poses a formidable challenge.
In the upcoming electoral contest, the BJP has fielded Dhruv Singh Shakya, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded Muslim Khan. The battle for Budaun, located approximately 50 kilometres from Bareilly, is now primarily between Bhartiya Janata Party’s Durvijay Singh Shakya and Samajwadi Party’s Aditya Yadav.
Shakya, a native of Dataganj Nagar Palika in Budaun, is banking on the charisma of Prime Minister Modi and the anti-mafia stance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Shakya community, prominent in the Bilsi assembly constituency, holds sway within the Budaun Lok Sabha region.
SP candidate Aditya enjoys robust support from the Yadav community and Muslims, both influential demographics in this parliamentary constituency. The Gunnar and Sahaswan assembly constituencies, with significant Yadav populations, bolster Aditya's electoral prospects. However, outcomes in Budaun city and the Bisauli assembly constituency are expected to be pivotal in determining the victor.
The upcoming electoral showdown in Budaun, slated for polling in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7, holds the promise of reshaping the political landscape. As the dynamics of the election continue to evolve, it underscores the complex interplay of politics in this historic constituency, which is not only the birthplace of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya but also the beloved home of renowned Urdu poet Shakeel Badayuni.
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