Aparna Yadav, sister-in-law of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and a BJP member, took a dig at Akhilesh's decision to contest from Kannauj, suggesting that the constituency is no longer an easy win for the SP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
She remarked on Akhilesh's move to contest from Kannauj, replacing his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav, saying it mirrored his father Mulayam Singh Yadav's approach of entering the electoral fray when he deemed it necessary for the party.
However, Aparna Yadav cautioned Akhilesh against complacency, stating that Kannauj wouldn't be a straightforward victory for the Samajwadi Party. She cited the work done by Subrat Pathak, the sitting BJP MP from Kannauj, as a factor making the constituency a challenging battleground for the SP.
Highlighting the BJP's growing influence in traditional SP strongholds, Aparna Yadav suggested that the SP was forced into a defensive strategy against the BJP. She claimed that the BJP holds significant sway in Kannauj, and voters are aware of Prime Minister Modi's accomplishments, predicting his reelection as Prime Minister for a third term.
The controversy around Akhilesh Yadav's candidacy in Kannauj arose when the SP replaced Tej Pratap Yadav with Akhilesh as the candidate for the constituency. Akhilesh Yadav, who previously represented Kannauj in Lok Sabha, filed his nomination papers seeking to reclaim the seat.
Akhilesh expressed confidence in his victory from Kannauj, asserting that the BJP would face defeat as people have decided to vote against the NDA alliance.
Kannauj, where voting is scheduled for May 13 in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, holds significance for Akhilesh Yadav, having previously won it in 2000, 2004, and 2009.
