Lucknow: The election campaign for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, covering eight seats, will conclude on April 17. Besides major political parties, smaller parties are also actively participating in the campaign across Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit Lok Sabha seats. According to political analysts, a triangular contest is anticipated on these eight seats.
Except for the Nagina Lok Sabha seat, where a four-cornered contest is observed after the entry of Bhim Army convenor Chandrashekhar Azad into the electoral fray, the remaining seven seats are witnessing a triangular battle among candidates from the SP, BSP, and BJP.
The Rampur Lok Sabha seat has gained significant attention in the first phase. During the campaign of SP candidate Maulana Mohibbullah Nadvi in Rampur, he encountered opposition from leaders associated with Azam Khan’s group. Virendra Goyal, a close aide of Azam Khan, is supporting BSP candidate Zeeshan Khan from the Rampur seat. Despite two days remaining until the end of the campaign, SP President Akhilesh Yadav has not yet visited the area for campaigning.
In the triangular contest between SP candidate Maulana Mohibbullah Nadvi, BSP’s Zeeshan Khan, and BJP candidate Ghanshyam Singh Lodhi for the Rampur seat, the trend of small political parties supporting SP and BJP persists. With the entry of the BSP candidate, the competition for the BJP candidate is expected to intensify.
BJP has replaced Varun Gandhi with Uttar Pradesh Public Works Minister Jitin Prasad as its candidate from the Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat. Several ministers and party officials are actively campaigning in support of BJP candidate Jitin Prasad, reaching every village in Pilibhit. Although BJP is confident of victory, SP candidate Bhagwat Saran Gangwar and BSP candidate Anees Ahmed Khan alias Phoolbabu are also formidable contenders in the eyes of the public.
SP President Akhilesh Yadav has announced his candidates for the first phase, boosting enthusiasm among party workers. BSP chief Mayawati and National Coordinator Akash Anand have been influential in Western Uttar Pradesh with their election promises. Additionally, the alliance between BJP and RLD has bolstered the campaign across the eight seats. Statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh are widely discussed. Furthermore, BJP state president Bhupendra Chaudhary and RLD president Jayant Chaudhary are vigorously campaigning in rural areas with their respective teams.
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