The Samajwadi Party got a shot in its arm in the peocket burrough of Congress national vice-president Rahul Gandhi - Amethi, when the Congress candidate withdrew his nomination in favour of the SP candidate paving the way for unopposed election of the latter in the District Panchayat polls.
SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhry said that Congress candidate Krishna Chaurasia withdrew in the last minute in favour of the party candidate. “With this, three candidates have been declared unopposed in the District Panchayat polls ,” Chaudhary, who is also a cabinet minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government, said.
He said that on January 1, at least 33 candidates were declared winners unopposed and on Monday, three candidates in Amethi, Sant Kabir Nagar and lalitpur were declared elected as District Panchayat chief. “Thus, out of 74 districts, the SP has so far won 36 seats unopposed,” the spokesman said.
Chaudhary said that this shows increasing popularity of the party among the people. The Opposition parties are so demoralized that they do not have candidates to file nomination papers. “In almost 50 per cent of the districts, Panchayat seats have gone to SP and this tally is bound to go up,” he said.
Meanwhile, party changed its candidate for the Zila Panchayat chilef’s post in Chandauli. Senior leader Shivpal Singh Yadav declared that Sarita Singh would be the official candidate instead of Chatrabali Singh. “The district party leaders should now ensure victory of Sarita Singh in the election,” he said in a statement issued here on Monday.
In another development party’s state chief, Akhilesh Yadav has disqualified Jitendra Yadav from the party for anti-party activities. He is son of sitting party MlA Rampal Yadav, who also has been suspended from the party’s legislature party.
The action was taken following complaints about father and son’s open revolt against party officials candidates in Panchayat polls. Rampal was angry with party because his son was denied ticket for the District Panchayat pramukh’s post.