This time, it's not so simple for Dimple Yadav in Kannauj constituency

UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s wife, Dimple Yadav, who is contesting from the prestigious VIP Lok Sabha constituency of Kannauj, is finding the going tough in the face of a strong threat posed by her BJP rival Subrat Pathak.

This is in spite of the Kannauj constituency having been given the privilege of round-the-clock power supply, a rarity in large parts of Uttar Pradesh, and a host of developmental projects including an engineering and a medical college.

 But even the VIP status of the constituency does not seem to guarantee a win for Dimple this time and, perhaps, both she and Akhilesh know it. Akhilesh and Dimple have been forced to hold roadshows and address corner meetings across Kannauj this time to woo the electorate.

It is hard to believe that barely two years ago, Dimple had been elected from this LS  constituency unopposed. Both the Congress and BSP had not put up their candidates then in Kannauj citing different reasons and the BJP nominee had failed to turn up at the collectorate on time to file his nomination papers.

This had led to Dimple romping home.

The Congress has yet again not put up a candidate here in return for the SP's gesture of not fielding candidates in Raebareli and Amethi.

However, this time both the BSP and BJP have put up candidates against Dimple.
SP leaders claim that the constituency has been well nurtured by Dimple, but the party’s opponents do not agree. ``What development....nothing has changed except the 24-hour power supply'', says Sarvesh Shukla of Tirwa, an assembly segment in the constituency.

“The roads are in a horrible condition here....they have been dug up and left like that by the PWD,” he adds.

The Tirwa-Khairnagar road and some other inner roads bear witness to Shukla's claims.

“SP goons rule the roost here...even the officials are scared of them....ordinary people want change...people will vote for Modi irrespective of their caste this time”, he claimed.

Prakash Chandra Chaturvedi, the former `pradhan' (village chief) of Umarda in the constituency echoes this sentiment. “Modi will get votes from every section of the society,” he says. He admits that some development has taken place, but for him it is now a question of the country’s development and ‘Modi is needed there’.

The Yadavs and Muslims, however, seem to be firmly behind the SP. 

“The constituency has witnessed a lot of development after Dimple became our representative....the chief minister has promised more development”, says Ram Kishore Yadav, as he sips tea in front of the bus stand in the town.
However, the divisions in society are clearly visible here.