When Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav decided to contest from Azamgarh besides Mainpuri, he chose a seat which has proved to be “lucky” for the party in previous elections.
There is a belief in the Samajwadi Party that if an election campaign starts from Azamgarh it is bound to be successful. The Samajwadi Party had started its campaign for the 2012 Assembly election from Azamgarh and it came to power with a resounding victory. In 2014 too, Mulayam Singh Yadav held the party’s first election rally in Azamgarh and it was a complete sell out.
“Azamgarh is lucky for the Samajwadi Party and Mulayam Singh Yadav. The people of this area will now not elect an parliamentarian but a prime minister. There is a belief that after winning the election from Azamgarh, the Samajwadi party will emerge as a force that no one can ignore,” Panchayati Raj Minister Balram Singh Yadav told ‘The Pioneer’ on Wednesday.
He said Azamgarh had always been loyal to the Samajwadi Party because Netaji (as Mulayam Singh Yadav is known among SP workers) had started many projects that helped people.
“It goes without saying that Mulayam Singh Yadav will win this seat hands down,” he added.Support for Mulayam Singh Yadav has come even from his estranged friend Amar Singh, who has joined the Rashtriya lok Dal. “I appeal to my people to vote for Mulayam Singh Yadav in Azamgarh,” Singh said in Agra.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ramakant Yadav is the sitting MP from Azamgarh constituency and he is in the fray from there. With a high Muslim population and a sizeable number of Yadav votes who form the electoral college of this eastern UP constituency, Azamgarh has given a good dividend to the Samajwadi Party in the previous elections. The district has 10 Assembly constituencies and nine of them are with the Samajwadi Party. As a reward to this area, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has made three law makers – Balram Singh Yadav, Durga Prasad Yadav and Wasim Ahmad – as ministers in his Cabinet.
Samajwadi Party district president Havildar Singh Yadav, who was earlier announced the party’s candidate from Azamgarh, said he was very happy to sacrifice this seat for Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“He is our leader. What are you talking about sacrificing seat, we are dedicated workers of Samajwadi Party and are ready to sacrifice our lives for our party president,” he said. Amid these joyous expressions, there are some discordant notes as Ulema Council has decided to field a candidate against Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Ulema Council president Amen Rashidi said the Samajwadi Party had betrayed the faith of Muslims and they would not allow “this party” to betray the minorities again.“It will not be an easy ride for Mulayam,” the Maulana declared.