SP's 'yuvraj' faces acid test in Kannauj and Ferozabad

Mulayam Singh making all efforts to ensure son's victory

 Unlike the “yuvraj” of the Congress, who is expecting a smooth sailing from Amethi, the Samajwadi Party’s “yuvraj” is facing a tough fight in Kannauj and Ferozabad Lok Sabha seats, which go to the polls on Thursday.

SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Akhilesh Yadav, a two-time MP from Kannauj, had defeated BSP’s Akbar Ahmed “Dumpy” by over 3.37 lakh votes in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, riding on the support of Yadavs and Muslims, who together constitute roughly 27 per cent of the 15 lakh electorate.

The sailing would have been smooth for Akhilesh, who was expecting support from the 1.5 lakh Lodh voters, but for the presence of the BSP’s Lodh nominee Mahesh Verma.
Verma is not only likely to share the Lodh votes but also hopes to corner the three lakh Dalit votes in addition to the Brahmin votes. At the same time, the BJP nominee Subrat Pathak, a Brahmin, expects to garner a major chunk of the two lakh Brahmin votes, thus making things difficult for the SP nominee.

For Mulayam, it is a prestige fight as a defeat for Akhilesh would mean a defeat for himself. Akhilesh’s detractors, however, say that Mulayam was not sure of his son’s victory from here and that was the reason why he had asked him to contest from the Yadav dominated Ferozabad as well. However, Akhilesh is locked in a three cornered contest in Ferozabad also, which has over 26 per cent Yadavs in an electorate of over 13 lakh. The caste calculations has gone for a toss in Ferozabad, about 30 km from Agra, with several Yadav candidates being fielded in  the fray.

While Ashok Yadav, an MLA from the neighbouring Shikohabad assembly seat, is contesting as an independent, the CPM has also fielded a Yadav nominee, who is a trade union leader having considerable influence in the area.

Being an MLA from one of the assembly segments of the Ferozabad seat, Ashok Yadav is likely to corner a large chunk of Yadav votes.

Also, Akhilesh is unlikely to receive support from Muslims, who are reportedly angry over SP’s proximity with Kalyan Singh. The BJP has queered the pitch further for Akhilesh by fielding a Lodh, Raghubar Dayal Verma. Lodhs constitute about 7 per cent of the total electorate.

BSP supremo Mayawati has deputed several of her ministers to ensure the defeat of Akhilesh. A large number of ministers and ruling party MLAs have been camping in the two constituencies to garner votes for the BSP nominees.

To ensure his son’s win, Mulayam and actor-turned-politician Sanjay Dutt addressed a series of election rallies in the two seats.