Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha elections 2024: Why Akhilesh Yadav succumbed to party pressure, entered poll fray from Kannauj

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

On April 22, the Samajwadi Party announced the candidacy of Tej Pratap Yadav, grandson of Mulayam Singh and nephew of Akhilesh Yadav, for the Kannauj seat. The next day a meeting was planned but Tej Pratap's visit to Kannauj was shelved due to internal dissent within the party ranks.

On April 23, a delegation of SP workers from Kannauj headed to Lucknow signaling growing unrest within the party over the choice of candidate for the crucial constituency. The members of delegation conveyed their reservations about Tej Pratap Yadav's candidacy to Akhilesh Yadav.

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April 24 – Akhilesh Yadav was declared as the candidate for Kannauj.

After days of speculation and internal deliberation, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav filed a nomination from Kannauj parliamentary, aiming to regain the stronghold lost to the BJP in the previous election. The move comes as a response to mounting pressure from party workers and local leaders who expressed dissatisfaction with the initial candidate, Tej Pratap Yadav, citing his lack of local connect.

The decision was preceded by a series of events indicating the unrest within the party regarding the choice of candidate for the crucial Kannauj constituency. Initially, Tej Pratap Yadav, the grandson of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and nephew of Akhilesh Yadav, was nominated for the seat on April 22. However, his scheduled visit to Kannauj on April 23 was canceled amidst internal opposition. Concerns were raised over Tej Pratap's lack of familiarity with the local populace, which could potentially weaken the party's position in the region.

A local journalist Sateyndra Yadav said that the workers in Kannauj have a direct connection with Akhilesh Yadav and see him as their preferred leader. “The decision to field Akhilesh himself was viewed as crucial to maintaining the party's strength and enthusiasm among supporters”, he said and added: “This is a do or die battle for the Yadav family as far as Kannauj is concerned. Considered a pocket borough of Samajwadi Party, but party has suffered defeat here in 2019. To consolidate party’s position in central UP it is a wise decision of Akhilesh Yadav to contest from Kannauj.”

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Analysts predict that Akhilesh Yadav's candidacy will have far-reaching consequences, extending beyond the confines of Kannauj constituency. With its potential to impact neighboring constituencies such as Mainpuri and Etawah, his decision is reshaping the contours of electoral competition in the heartland of Uttar Pradesh.

Kannauj holds significance for the SP, historically being a stronghold of the party. Akhilesh Yadav himself has a longstanding association with the constituency, having represented it multiple times in the past.

Akhilesh Yadav was elected MP for the first time in the by-election held on Kannauj seat in 2000. He was MP from the same seat in 2004 and 2009 also. Akhilesh's wife Dimple was elected unopposed in the by-election from Kannauj seat in 2012 after Akhilesh resigned from the Lok Sabha after becoming the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Dimple won again in the 2014 general elections, but in the 2019 she lost to BJP's Subrata Pathak. In 2019, Dimple lost by just 12,353 votes.

Samajwadi Party leaders view Akhilesh Yadav's decision to contest from Kannauj as a strategic move with potential benefits. As the current Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, Akhilesh's victory in Kannauj would not only bolster party morale but also energize workers in neighboring constituencies, thereby enhancing the party's electoral prospects.

Furthermore, the plan to have Akhilesh succeed in Kannauj and subsequently vacate the seat for his protege, Tej Pratap Yadav, after the Lok Sabha elections, is seen as a calculated maneuver to sustain the party's presence and relevance. This succession strategy aims to ensure continuity and stability within the party while maintaining momentum in the electoral arena.

The flip side of the drama is the way the Samajwadi Party had changed the candidates in this election. With the change in Kannauj seat, the Samajwadi Party has changed its candidates 13 times in 9 constituencies – sometimes changing candidates thrice in one constituency.

SP underwent multiple candidate changes across nine constituencies, totaling 13 alterations:

1. Baghpat: Initially, Manoj Chaudhary was announced, later replaced by Amarpal Sharma.

2. Meerut: Bhanu Pratap was first chosen, then Atul Pradhan, and finally Sunita Verma.

3. Noida: Initially, Mahendra Nagar was selected, then replaced by Rahul Awana, and ultimately reverted to Mahendra Nagar.

4. Budaun: Dharmendra Yadav was initially nominated, then replaced by Shivpal Yadav, and later substituted by Aditya Yadav.

5. Mishrikh: Initially, Rampal Rajvanshi was announced, later replaced by Manoj Rajvanshi, and finally confirmed as Sangeeta Rajvanshi.

6. Bijnor: Yashveer Singh was substituted by Deepak Saini.

7. Sultanpur: Bhim Nishad was initially selected, then replaced by Rambhual Nishad.

8. Moradabad: Sitting MP ST Hassan was replaced by Ruchi Veera.

9. Kannauj: Tej Pratap Yadav was replaced by Akhilesh Yadav.