In the heart of India's fragrance hub, Kannauj, the impending Lok Sabha elections are evolving into a clash between the incumbent MP and BJP contender Subrat Pathak and the Samajwadi Party's Tej Pratap Yadav, who is not only the nephew of party leader Akhilesh Yadav but also a fresh face in the political arena.
Kannauj, renowned as India's perfume capital and formerly a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party (SP), is now witnessing a tight race between the BJP and the SP. The SP initially stirred surprise among its Kannauj workers by nominating Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, rather than the long-speculated candidate, Akhilesh Yadav. This unexpected move has left many within the party ranks disconcerted.
Swiftly seizing the opportunity, the BJP swiftly accused the SP of perpetuating dynastic politics by fielding Tej Pratap Yadav for this prestigious seat in western Uttar Pradesh. Subrat Pathak, BJP's MP and candidate for Kannauj, humorously quipped that his PDA stood for 'Parivar Defence Alliance', taking a dig at Akhilesh Yadav's family-centric approach to politics.
Reports suggest that SP workers in Kannauj are hesitant to embrace Tej Pratap's candidacy, awaiting Akhilesh Yadav's visit to Etawah and Saifai, scheduled for April 24, to make a decision regarding the Kannauj seat.
For centuries, Kannauj has been at the forefront of perfumery, with attar serving as the backbone of its economy. The labyrinthine streets of this ancient city host a plethora of attar and perfume shops. India Today/Aaj Tak engaged with attar traders and merchants to gauge the political atmosphere in the perfume capital.
Shyam Ji Gupta, an attar trader, noted a decline in the perfume industry and called upon the government to reduce GST on perfumes and attar from 18 percent to 12 percent. Regarding the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Gupta opined that the BJP holds an advantage if Akhilesh Yadav refrains from contesting in Kannauj, citing Tej Pratap's lack of recognition among the populace.
Another prominent attar trader, Bauwan Tiwari, alleged that the ambitious project of former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the International Perfume Museum and Park (now known as Perfume Park), has been marred by political squabbles.
To ascertain the situation, India Today/Aaj Tak visited the Perfume Park site, approximately 17 kilometers from the city, only to find minimal progress. In 2014, Akhilesh Yadav announced this project to boost Kannauj's fragrance industry, with the foundation stone laid two years later during the SP government's tenure. However, the project, initially planned for 100 acres, was downscaled to 33 acres.
Sources indicate negligible progress post-2017, with renewed efforts by the BJP government around the 2022 assembly polls, aiming to convert the proposed museum into the Perfume Park. Yet, apart from an electricity unit and some murals, the site remains barren.
In an exclusive interview with India Today/Aaj Tak, BJP MP Subrat Pathak asserted that Kannauj is no longer a stronghold of the SP following his 2019 victory. Pathak expressed a preference for Akhilesh Yadav's candidacy, as he believes Tej Pratap's nomination has dampened electoral enthusiasm in the region.
Dismissing the SP's claims of incomplete projects and viral videos, Pathak affirmed his efforts in advocating for tax relief for attar traders with the government.
Local sentiment in Kannauj varies, with some alleging Pathak's lack of tangible accomplishments while others anticipate votes for the BJP due to Prime Minister Modi's popularity. Many remain unaware of the SP's nomination of the relatively unknown Tej Pratap Yadav, a departure from their previous dominance in the region.
