Lok Sabha polls 2019 phase 4: It is clash of personalities in Uttar Pradesh

As the election juggernaut rolls down to the central and Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, this politically sensitive state is all set to witness a clash of personalities in the fourth phase of polling on April 29.

From Sri Prakash Jaiswal in Kanpur to Dimple Yadav in Kannauj and from Sakshi Maharaj in Unnao to Jitin Prasada in Dharuhera-- all popular leaders of the region are in the fray for the upcoming elections. They have contested elections a number of times and sometimes lost – but their affiliation remains strong.

Twelve constituencies will go to polls on April 29 which include Kanpur, Shahjahanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Mishrikh, Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah, Kannauj, Akbarpur, Jalaun, Jhansi and Hamirpur.

Barring Kannauj, BJP had won all the seats in 2014 elections.

This phase is also important for Congress as many of its heavy weights like Salman Khurshid (Farrukhabad), Jitin Prasada (Dhaurahra), Anu Tandon (Unnao), Zafar Ali Naqvi (Lakhimpur Kheri) and Ashok Dohre are in the fray. Dohre is the sitting MP from Etawah but had joined Congress after he was denied a ticket by the BJP and now he is the Congress candidate.

Dharuhera made the headlines when the elections were announced as there were reports that Jitin Prasada might join BJP as he was not willing to contest from Dharuhera. Jitin denied this report but political grapevine remained busy with reports that he might shift to Lucknow. This never happened and scotching all rumours he decided to contest from Dharuhera.

For Prasada family Shahjahanpur has been the Karmabhoomi. Jitin’s father Jitendra Prasada was the biggest political name of that area. Once Shahjahanpur was declared as reserved constituency, Prasada family made Dharuhera as their karmabhoomi.

In 2009, Jitin won election from Dharuhera but lost to Rekha Verma of BJP in 2014. This time also, BJP has fielded Rekha Verma, who is facing people’s ire for her non-performance, making the way easy for Jitin. The only obstacle is Arshad Siddiqui, who is a coalition candidate and contesting on SP ticket.

This constituency also assumes importance because a dacoit turned politician Malkhan Singh is contesting election on Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party ticket.

The neighbouring Khiri is also set to witness an interesting tussle between the Congress and the BJP. The contest will be between Zafar Ali Naqvi (Congress) and Ajay Kumar Mishra (BJP). Both of them have been locking horns since 2009. That time Congress had defeated BJP but in 2014, Ajay kumar Mishra had his revenge. This year, the situation could be different as there is a saying in Khiri that it has not repeated candidates after 1989.

In Kannauj however, the focus would be on Dimple Yadav who, braving Modi wave had won this seat by defeating BJP’s Subrata Pathak. This time her victory is ensured because of the alliance and BSP support. But in Akbarpur, the Congress’ Raja Ram Pal is facing tough contest from Devendra Singh Bhole, who was MP from Kanpur dehat but this time his seat has been changed.

The most interesting contest is in Kanpur where veteran BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi has been denied ticket and in his place Satyadep Pachauri is in fray. Congress has fielded veteran Sri Prakash Jaiswal, a political heavy weight from Kanpur.

What happened in Kanpur was reflected in neighbouring Shahjahanpur where the Union Minister Krishna Raj was denied ticket. Incidentally, it is the minister who was responsible for effective implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana under which ₹6000 is given to small and marginal farmers across the country. She has been replaced by Arun Sagar.

The constituency has over 90,000 paasi votes who had voted en bloc for BJP in 2014. This time, Congress candidate Brahma Swaroop Sagar has emerged as Passi community’s first choice. BSP’s Amar Chand Jauhar is representing alliance here.