In 4th phase, BJP sits pretty in 13 UP seats

BJP won all these seats last 2 times, barring Kannauj in 2014

THE THIRTEEN seats going to polls in UP Monday, include constituencies close to SP’S heart. However, for the past two general elections, the BJP has won them all, barring Kannauj, which was in 2014 won by SP’S Dimple Yadav.

While the BJP will be looking to repeat the feat, especially in the SP prestige seats of Kannauj and Etawah, another constituency where it will hope that its gambit – of repeating Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ – pays off is Lakhimpur Kheri. The son of Teni, the Union MOS for Home, is accused in the killing of four people during a farmers' protest in 2021. While the case is still on, Teni’s boss Union Home Minister Amit Shah virtually promised at a recent public meeting that he would make Teni a “big man” if he wins.

In the 13 seats, Dalits and OBCS form bulk of vote bank, with Muslims too in good numbers.

Kannauj

2019 WINNER BJP (49.37%) RUNNER-UP 48.29%

The most prominent of the constituencies is Kannauj, where SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is contesting for the fourth time.

Akhilesh is up against the BJP’S Subrat Pathak, who won in 2019 defeating Dimple Yadav, and the BSP’S Imran Bin Jafar.

While the BSP'S decision to field Jafar may cost the SP some Muslim and Dalit votes – both in big numbers in the constituency – Akhilesh will attract a major chunk of them.

Lakhimpur Kheri

2019 WINNER BJP (53.63%) RUNNER-UP 34.38%

In Lakhimpur Kheri, Teni is facing the SP’S Utkarsh Verma and the BSP’S Anshay Kalra. Despite the pressure it came under for Teni’s resignation, the BJP continued with the MP, who has been winning polls starting with the Assembly polls in 2012.

While Teni’s son Ashish was in jail for a few months after the incident, he is now on bail. Both SP and BSP spoke about the 2021 incident in their campaigns.

Etawah (Sc-reserved)

2019 WINNER BJP (50.80%) RUNNER-UP 44.53%

The reserved constituency houses Saifai, the native village of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. While that makes the seat important for the SP symbolically, which won it in 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2009, the BJP was the winner in 2014 and 2019. The BJP has fielded Ram Shanker Katheria. The SP has fielded Jitendra Dohre and the BSP, Sarika Singh.

Kanpur

2019 WINNER BJP (55.63%) RUNNER-UP 37.13%

The seat used to be a Congress stronghold, with Shri Prakash Jaiswalwinningin1999,2004and 2009. In 2014, he lost to BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi, and in 2019 to BJP'S Satyadev Pachauri. Thebjphasfieldedrameshawasthi against the Congress's Alok Mishra and the BSP'S Kuldeep Bhadauria. All three are contesting their first Lok Sabha elections.

Akbarpur

2019 WINNER BJP (56.69%) RUNNER-UP 29.86%

Rajaram Pal, a former Congress MP from the seat (2009), is the SP candidate. The BSP has given a ticket to a Brahmin, Rajesh Dwivedi. OBCS are in a majority in the constituency, followed by upper castes, Dalits and Muslims.

Unnao

2019 WINNER BJP (56.87%) RUNNER-UP 24.46%

The BJP ticket from Unnao has againgonetoitscontroversialmp, Swamisachchidanandharisakshi alias Sakshi Maharaj, who will takeonthesp’sannutandonand the BSP’S Ashok Kumar Pandey.

Farrukhabad

2019 WINNER BJP (56.82%) RUNNER-UP 34.72%

Infarrukhabad,thebjphasrepeated Mukesh Rajput, a Lodh. Apartfromhiscastebase,rajputis banking on the Modi and Ram Templefactors.rajputisfacingthe SP’S Naval Kishore Shakya and BSP’S Kranti Pandey.

Bahraich (Sc-reserved)

2019 WINNER BJP (53.14%) RUNNER-UP 40.13%

The seat borders Nepal, with Muslims in a majority. The BJP has fielded Anand Gond, the son of its 2019 winning candidate, Akshaybar Lal Gond.

Shahjahanpur (Screserved)

2019 WINNER BJP (58.09%) RUNNER-UP 35.46%

As long as the seat was not reserved, it was known as a Congress stronghold before 2014. After Jitendra Prasada’s successive victories from here, his son Jitin won the seat in 2004. Now in BJP, Jitin is contesting from Pilibhit. The constituency was later won by the SP till the BJP captured it in 2014.

BJP candidate Arun Kumar Sagar is facing SP’S Jyotsana Gond and BSP'S Dodram Verma.

Misrikh (Sc-reserved)

In Misrikh, the BJP has repeated Ashok Rawat, who has a strong hold on the seat and was the BSP winner from here in 2004 and 2009. The SP has very little presence in this seat.

Sitapur

2019 WINNER BJP (48.33%) RUNNER-UP 38.86%

While sitting MP Rajesh Verma is BJP candidate, the other main nominees, Rakesh Rathore of the SP and Mahendra Yadav of the BSP, used to be BJP MLAS.

Dhaurahra

In Dhaurahra, the BJP has repeated its two-time sitting MP Rekha Verma. Verma is facing some challenge from BSP candidate Shyam Kishore Awasthi. However, the SP has never performed well here.

Hardoi (Sc-reserved)

2019 WINNER BJP (52.05%) RUNNER-UP 42.25 %

2019 WINNER BJP (48.21%) RUNNER-UP 33.12 %

2019 WINNER BJP (53.72%) RUNNER-UP 41.20 %

The BJP has replaced its twotime winning MP, Anshul Verma, here with Jai Prakash. The SP’S Usha Verma is banking on Yadavs and Muslims, while BSP has fielded Bhimrao Ambedkar.