For pols, in polls, family is all
Workers who worked hard for years, and fought battles on street are ignored
Notwithstanding the party label, for nearly every politician, in times of elections, it is the family that matters.
Despite their hard work and loyalty, ordinary workers are left in the lurch. Years of labour in the constituencies and fighting battles on the streets to keep the party flag aloft are ignored and the nominations go to the family members of the senior leaders.
A close look at the distribution of tickets by major political parties in the forthcoming Assembly elections, clearly reveals their preference for their kin over old veterans of the party and committed party workers.
The Congress and the Samajwadi Party have always been accused of nepotism, but even the cadre-based parties like BSP and BJP have not been able to resist the temptation. Several of them had to face the wrath of the loyal party workers still they refused to reverse their decision.
Large scale
The Congress, which has so far named over 270 candidates, has given nominations to the family members of senior leaders on a large scale. State congress president Reeta Bahuguna Joshi’s brother Shekhar Bahuguna has been fielded from Allahabad, while union minister Beni Prasad Verma’s son Rakesh Verma has also been given the party nomination from Barabanki.
The list is quite long. Union minister Salman Khursheed’s wife Louis Khursheed, party MP Jagadambika Pal’s son Abhishek Pal and another MP Harshvardhan Singh’s son Rajvardhan have been given tickets by the Congress. Similarly, the daughter-in-law of former minister Ramlal Rahi, son of senior leader Rajeshpati Tripathi and kin of many other leaders have been given party tickets.
The BJP, which has always criticised the Congress for promoting family, has itself fielded relatives of several of its senior leaders.
Claims ignored
Party MP from Azamgarh Ram Kant Yadav has been able to secure party nominations for his son Arun Yadav and also his wife, nephew and some relatives. Party MP Lalji Tandon’s son Gopalji Tandon has been fielded from Lucknow ignoring the claim of old timer Amit Puri, who had lost last time with a slender margin.
Another senior BJP leader Ramji Singh’s son Arijit Singh has also been given party nomination despite resentment among the loyal workers. According to UP BJP leaders, the list includes the names of many other relatives of senior leaders.
Demand obliged
The Samajwadi Party too does not lag behind in the race for fielding family members and relatives.
Former BSP MP Naresh Agarwal, who joined the SP recently, had made it known that he would be joining only if his son Nitin Agarwal is given a ticket from Hardoi Assembly constituency. He was duly obliged and the ticket of an old veteran was cancelled.
The family of SP supremo Mulayam Singh currently occupies almost all top posts in the party. Mulayam’s son Akhilesh is the UP unit chief, brother Shivpal Singh Yadav was Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly, nephew Dharmendra Yadav is MP from Budaon and brother Ram Gopal Yadav is an MP and recently made national spokesman replacing old guard Mohan Singh.
The disease has also afflicted the BSP, which was considered to be a cadre-based party and this time the party has fielded relatives of several leaders. State BSP chief Swami Prasad Maurya’s son Utkarsh and daughter Sanghamitra have been fielded from Raebareli and Etah districts respectively.
Party MP Jugal Kishore’s son is contesting from Lakhimpur Kheri district. UP power minister Ramveer Upadhyaya’s brother Rameshwar Upadhyaya is contesting from Dibai in Bulandshahar district. His wife is already an MP. BSP MP Gangacharan Rajput’s son also entered the fray to gain the party ticket.
The growing love for family in the parties will certainly serve as a deterrent to other would-be committed party workers.
