UP Election 2022: Union Minister SP Singh Baghel pitted against Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal seat

Notably, Baghel had entered politics as president of the Mulayam Youth brigade and went on to win thrice as Samajwadi Party MP from the now-merged Jalesar seat, (now non existing merged in Etah).

Team Newsable

Mainpuri, First Published Jan 31, 2022, 5:04 PM IST | Last Updated Feb 4, 2022, 2:36 PM IST

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday fielded Union Minister and party's Dalit MP from Agra SP Singh Baghel as its candidate against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal Assembly segment in Manipuri.

Notably, Baghel had entered politics as president of the Mulayam Youth Brigade and went on to win thrice as Samajwadi Party MP from the now-merged Jalesar seat (now non-existing merged in Etah). He is currently the Minister of State for law and justice in the Union Cabinet. He is also the national President of the BJP backward morcha.

Baghel was a close confidant of the SP founder-patron of Mulayam Singh Yadav and had contested twice against his family members, including Dimple (Akhilesh's wife) and Akshay Yadav, and had lost on both occasions.

Earlier today, Akhilesh Yadav filed his nomination for the election at the Mainpuri district collectorate.

Also read: Assembly Election 2022: EC extends ban on roadshows, padyatras, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies till Feb 11

Yadav after filing his nomination said, he is leaving his election from the seat on SP leaders and people of the constituency. He has to visit multiple places across the state. If he gets a chance, he will try to come for the campaign in the region.

The Karhal Assembly seat is part of the Mainpuri parliamentary constituency represented by party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and has been a SP stronghold since decades. Karhal, just 4 km away from Saigfai, will go to polls on February 20 in the third of the seven-phase elections in the state.

Except for 2002, the constituency has been with the SP since 1993. In the 2002 assembly polls, sitting MLA Sobaran Singh had contested on a BJP ticket. Thereafter, he joined the SP and has won the elections three times consecutively.

Baghel’s name came as a surprise pick for Karhal amid speculations that BJP might Aparna Yadav from the seat. In a major setback for the Samajwadi Party, Aparna, the daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav, recently joined the BJP.

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