Samajwadi Party Declares Akhilesh Yadav as Kannauj Lok Sabha Candidate
In a significant turn of events, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav has announced that party president Akhilesh Yadav will file his nomination from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat on Thursday. This announcement comes days after the party initially named Akhilesh’s nephew, Tej Pratap Yadav, as its candidate for the seat.
Ram Gopal Yadav emphasized that there is no confusion about Akhilesh’s candidacy, putting an end to speculation and internal party discussions. The Lok Sabha seat had been a Samajwadi Party stronghold until BJP’s Subrat Pathak secured a victory in 2019. However, Ram Gopal Yadav expressed confidence that the party will reclaim the seat under Akhilesh’s leadership.
Earlier reports had indicated that Samajwadi Party workers in Kannauj were surprised by Tej Pratap’s candidature and expressed reservations about his ability to lead the party to victory. They believed that Akhilesh’s presence would strengthen the party’s chances against the BJP.
Subrat Pathak, the incumbent BJP MP from Kannauj, expressed a desire for Akhilesh to contest from the seat, claiming that Tej Pratap’s candidacy had dampened the enthusiasm in the constituency. However, Ram Gopal Yadav’s announcement has made it clear that Akhilesh will be the Samajwadi Party’s candidate for Kannauj, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
