Akhilesh Yadav is officially in the fray for the Kannauj seat, making his candidature a certainty. Having filed his nomination as the SP candidate, Akhilesh's commitment to Kannauj has become a focal point of political discourse. A day prior to his nomination, during a meeting with SP workers in Saifai, Akhilesh expressed his initial reluctance to contest, wishing to nominate Tej Pratap instead, but the overwhelming pressure from Kannauj's party workers proved irresistible.
Before filing his nomination, Akhilesh conveyed through a tweet that, 'The city of fragrance, in response to positive politics, is leading the BJP towards an unprecedented defeat, which will be recorded in history as the 'Kannauj Revolution'. In a democracy, the will of the people reigns supreme. The clamor emanating from every village, street, and corridor of Kannauj is a vehement demand by both local SP leaders and workers, which I humbly accept.'
Clearly, Akhilesh was signaling towards that very demand by leaders and workers for him to contest the elections himself. This brought attention to Rampur where Azam Khan, an SP stalwart, wanted Akhilesh to run. Azam had even proposed this to Akhilesh, but the SP chief did not relent.
Azam's insistence did not sway Akhilesh, leading to SP's district unit in Rampur, and Azam's faction overtly opposing the party candidate. Questions are now being raised: If Akhilesh didn't yield in Rampur to Azam's insistence, how did he come under pressure in Kannauj?
Akhilesh Visits Azam Khan in Sitapur Jail
On the 22nd of March, Akhilesh Yadav visited Azam Khan in Sitapur Jail. Post this meeting, reports surfaced that Azam had requested Akhilesh to contest from the Rampur seat himself. A poignant letter of appeal from Azam also emerged, which beseeched Akhilesh to consider Rampur on par with the Saifai family's strongholds such as Kannauj, Mainpuri, and Etawah.
The SP's Rampur district unit also appealed to Akhilesh to run from this seat, yet he chose otherwise. The district unit threatened an election boycott and announced support for a BSP candidate, but Akhilesh remained unswayed by Azam's persistence.
The Strategic Importance of Kannauj for SP
Kannauj has been in SP's hold from 1998 to 2019, an emblematic seat of paramount importance. It holds significance not only as an electoral base but also as a symbol of the Mulayam family's legacy. Whenever Mulayam Singh felt the need for an additional seat outside Mainpuri, Kannauj was the go-to option. In 1999, Mulayam himself contested from Kannauj. Although he resigned the seat, he launched Akhilesh into politics through a by-election here. Post becoming the Chief Minister of UP, when Akhilesh vacated the seat, it was then candidated to Dimple Yadav, his wife. Dimple represented Kannauj in the Lok Sabha until 2019.
Why Did Akhilesh Yield Under Pressure in Kannauj?
The bond Akhilesh and the Saifai family share with Kannauj has kept them rooted to the seat. It's evident from Akhilesh's rally at the onset of April, where he reminisced about Dr. Lohia's legacy, Mulayam's candidacy, and his own tenure as a parliamentarian, claiming Kannauj as his home, one that he cannot forsake. Despite BJP's victory in 2019, SP's local leaders and activists strongly opposed Tej Pratap's candidacy and persuaded Akhilesh to champion the battle himself to restore SP's stronghold.
Kannauj in Focus, Aiming for Adjacent Constituencies
While Kannauj remains central, nearby seats such as Etawah have also been traditional SP strongholds. Since the 2014 general elections, though, BJP has established dominance over these. Akhilesh's candidacy from Kannauj is likely a strategic move aiming to boost SP's prospects in Etawah and surrounding constituencies.
