Mulayam, Dimple on SP list; family face-off likely

An uncle-nephew face-off appears to be on the cards as the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Friday declared its list of candidates from Uttar Pradesh in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The list contained the names of nine candidates, including party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, who will contest from his traditional seat of Mainpuri, and SP president Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav, who has been given nomination from Kannauj. Dimple is the sitting MP from Kannauj.

Mulayam had contested from two seats — Azamgarh and Mainpuri — in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and won both. He had later resigned from the Mainpuri seat, from where his grand nephew Tej Pratap Yadav was elected in the bypoll.

Ending speculations that Dimple might not contest the polls, the party has once again fielded her from Kannauj.

Akshoy Yadav, the son of SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, who has been nominated from Ferozabad, is likely to face his uncle and rebel SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav.

Shivpal made it clear on Friday that he would contest against Akshoy from Ferozabad. Shivpal’s candidature may make the going tough for Akshoy, especially as several senior SP leaders, including local MLA Hariom Yadav, had joined hands with the rebel party leader.

“I will contest from Ferozabad... it does not matter who is fielded by the SP,” Shivpal said.

Akhilesh’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav has been nominated from Badayun, where he is the sitting MP.

The party has fielded Kamalesh Katheria from Etawah, Bhailal Kol from Robertsganj and Shabeer Valmiki from Baharaich. All the three are reserved constituencies.

Besides, Purvi Verma and Usha Verma will be SP candidates from Lakhimpur-Kheri and Hardoi LS seats respectively.

The Samajwadi Party has been given 38 of the total 80 LS seats in the SP-BSP-RLD alliance. The BSP will contest 38 seats, while the RLD will try its luck on three seats.