As anticipation builds regarding the potential candidacy of Tej Pratap Yadav from Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency, questions have surfaced whether Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has opted out of the Lok Sabha race.

The lack of clarity from the SP leadership has only served to increase the suspense surrounding this matter.

Initially, there were speculations that Akhilesh Yadav would contest from either the Azamgarh or Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency, both of which have historically supported the Yadav family. However, with the announcement of Mulayam’s nephew Dharmendra Yadav as SP candidate from Azamgarh, attention turned towards Kannauj as a likely stronghold for Akhilesh.

Recent reports suggest that Akhilesh intended to field Tej Pratap from Kannauj but the latter was asked to contest from Rampur on the insistence of Mohammad Azam Khan. Tej Pratap promptly left the election fray upon receiving a message from the SP chief and arrived in Rampur to file his nomination papers.

When Akhilesh met Azam Khan in Sitapur jail, Khan had insisted that either Akhilesh or another member of the Yadav clan contest from Rampur. However, subsequent developments led to Tej Pratap being replaced, and Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi was nominated from Rampur instead.

Tej Pratap Yadav, the grandson of Mulayam Sing Yadav’s elder brother Ratan Singh, has previously served as an MP from Mainpuri and is married to the daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad.

Another potential candidate that emerged was Bidhuna MLA Rekha Verma, whose candidacy from Kannauj was supported due to the significant influence of the Yadav vote bank and the Lodh community in key assembly segments of the Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency.

The uncertainty surrounding Akhilesh’s candidacy from Kannauj stemmed from his recent statement during a party meeting, where he expressed his intention to campaign for party candidates across the state rather than contesting his own election.

In response to enquiries, SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary urged caution against premature conclusions, emphasising the need to await a formal announcement from the party.

Similarly, Kaleem Khan, the SP’s Kannauj district president, affirmed ongoing preparations in the constituency on the directives of the party leadership.

Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency has consistently supported the SP first family in six consecutive elections since 1999, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was elected as MP. Akhilesh made his debut from Kannauj in a bypoll in 2000 and was subsequently re-elected in the 2004 and 2009 general elections. In 2012, Akhilesh’s wife, Dimple Yadav, won a bypoll, followed by her victory in the 2014 elections.

However, in the 2019 elections, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Subrat Pathak secured the seat, defeating Dimple Yadav. With the upcoming elections, the SP aims to reclaim its foothold in Kannauj.