Jaunpur (UP): For young voters of Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur parliamentary constituency, employment seems to be a major concern.
Traffic jams in some areas is also a concern for the voters in the constituency which shares borders with Pratapgarh and Prayagraj districts.
The ruling BJP has fielded Kripashankar Singh, the former home minister of Maharashtra, from the seat against Samajwadi Party candidate Babu Singh Kushwaha, who was a minister in the BSP government.
The BSP has given its ticket to sitting MP Shyam Singh Yadav. In the 2019 polls, the BSP and the SP had an alliance.
In Jaunpur, youths have complaints about lack of job opportunities in the district.
"I have an MA degree and filled the forms for several government jobs. Papers of an exam were leaked. Now, I am waiting for the results of other recruitment exams," says 30-year-old Surya Pratap Maurya of Manhal village.
When pointed out that the government is giving free ration, Maurya answers angrily, "Who will bear the remaining expenses after marriage?" However, some youths are happy with their work.
Sunny Sahu, who runs a tea stall in Olandabad, the old area of the city, is happy with the present government.
"After completing 12th standard, I never thought of a job. Took a loan from a bank and bought a handcart. I sell tea and biscuits in the morning and then 'chat' in the evening. I earn Rs 300-400 a day,” says Sahu.
Rajesh Kumar, who runs a vegetable stall in Olandabad, says, "I am satisfied with my work." He says that his family is happy with the BJP government.
Apart from not having adequate means of employment, the second biggest problem people face in Jaunpur is traffic jams.
Zeeshan Khan, who lives in Baluaghat area of the city, says, "There are railway crossing gates on the roads which are closed several times a day. Due to which there is frequent traffic jams in the city. If flyovers are built at these railway crossings, the problem will be resolved to a great extent." The Jaunpur constituency, famous for 'imarti', has a total five assembly segments.
Businessman and local Congress leader Vikesh Upadhyay shows his displeasure with the health services in the city.
He says, "In 2014, former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had laid the foundation stone of a medical college in the district and the construction work was completed in 2016. But the medical college was never made functional. Now, it has been attached to the district hospital. Also, despite being a big district, there is no trauma centre here."
The BSP had earlier given its ticket to Srikala Reddy, wife of former Jaunpur MP Dhananjay Singh, but later the Mayawati-led party repeated sitting MP Shyam Singh Yadav.
Now, Reddy has decided to support BJP candidate Kripashankar Singh who says that the party will definitely benefit from the support of former MP Dhananjay Singh.
Speaking to PTI, Professor Manoj Mishra, head of the mass communication department of Purvanchal University, says, 'Former MP Dhananjay Singh has been associated with social works in the district for the last 20 years. Dhananjay's support to the BJP candidate will definitely benefit the party.
Mishra says that apart from this, the upper caste votes are going to the BJP candidate. If the BJP manages to get some backward community votes, victory of its candidate is certain, he says.
He further says that Yadav and Muslim votes are likely to go to SP's Kushwaha and adds that if Kushwaha also gets the votes of backward classes then he can spoil the game.
Mishra says that due to BSP candidate Yadav, his community votes can go to him and if this happens it can change the scenario.
SP candidate Kushwaha, while talking to PTI, claimed, "The wave of INDIA bloc is going on in the entire country. People are now fed up with the BJP government. People want a change this time. The results on June 4 will be surprising and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will form the government."
BSP candidate and sitting MP Yadav told PTI, "I have done many development works in the district in the last five years, which include roads and special facilities in hospitals and schools."
Yadav, a former international level shooter and retired PCS officer, said, "I got installed solar lights in every village of the district. Besides, I provided ambulances and other necessary medical equipment in government hospitals. Therefore, I am confident that the people of the district will once again elect me as their MP."
All the big leaders of the BJP including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have held rallies here in support of BJP candidate Singh. Whereas SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati have also held rallies here.
Polling for Jaunpur seat will be held in the sixth phase on May 25.