Samajwadi Party candidate and sitting MP Dimple Yadav filed her nomination papers from Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday.
She was accompanied by her husband and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, party’s Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan and Bahujan Samaj Party general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra.
Dimple Yadav has represented Kannauj in the Lok Sabha since 2012, after the seat was vacated by her husband who became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
After filing her papers, Dimple claimed that the victory margin would be “bigger” this time with the SP and BSP entering into an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls in UP.
She alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party did not fulfil its promises and was using the Armed forces to divert public attention from pressing issues.
Before filing her papers, Dimple along with Akhilesh Yadav took part in a roadshow atop a rath (chariot) from Faguha Bhutta in the presence of a large number of SP and BSP workers and leaders who raised slogans.
The roadshow, which stopped at the local SP office, was given a rousing reception by SP’s women workers who braved the heat and showered petals at their leaders.
On the sidelines, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “A wave for change is blowing across the country and a government of the alliance will come to power in which the role of BSP, SP and RLD will be important.”
Recalling that Kannauj had sent socialist thinker Ram Manohar Lohia and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav to Parliament, Akhilesh said that he too was elected from this seat and exuded confidence that Dimple Yadav would win by a ‘record margin’ as the people of Kannauj were themselves fighting this election.
Mentioning development works undertaken during his regime, including construction of Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP had stopped development and was working against the promises it made leading to unemployment.
“Everyone, from youth to farmers to labourers to traders, is feeling harassed today. The BJP only spreads hatred,” he said.
Responding to questions from news persons, Akhilesh said that surveys by the media were showing that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance was gaining ground.
“The BJP has entered into an alliance with 40 parties and yet they are raising fingers at the alliance of opposition parties,” he said.