NEW DELHI: SP aims to reclaim Kannauj as it faces BJP incumbent in a fight.
With slogans such as “Band ho gye Kannauj ke Fatak, Bhaag nahi pa rhe Subrat Pathak” (the gates of Kannauj have closed and Subrat Pathak cannot run away) and “Kannauj ka Kona Kona de rha Sandesh, Record vote se jeet kr a rhe hai Akhilesh” (Akhilesh is winning Kannauj by a record margin), the Samajwadi Party (SP) is eyeing to regain its bastion Kannauj.
Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, SP party worker Pankaj Rai said Akhilesh Yadav’s entry into the political arena has sent a positive message within the party cadre, and SP will surprise everyone with its performance. Earlier, Tej Paratp Yadav was fielded as the party candidate but was soon replaced by SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, as the party workers wanted Yadav to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Kannauj. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded its incumbent MP, Subrat Pathak, while the Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded Akil Ahmed, who recently defected from SP.
Akhilesh Yadav succeeded his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and emerged victorious three times from Kannauj from 2000 to 2012, vacating it upon assuming the role of chief minister. Following his father’s departure, his wife, Dimple Yadav, won the by-poll unopposed and retained the seat in 2014. However, she lost to the BJP’s Subrat Pathak in the 2019 elections by a margin of 12,000 votes.
I.P. Singh, SP national spokesperson told The Sunday Guardian, “Kannauj is not merely electing an MP but a leader who is going to play a vital role in national politics.” He added that Akhilesh Yadav will lead the nation in the coming times, keeping in view the current political discourse in the country.
Smay Sharma, a BJP worker, said Akhilesh is a big name, but Subrat Pathak has defeated Dimple Yadav, an SP heavyweight, so SP people should not underestimate us. Also, we have a Yogi-Modi governance model, which gives us a natural edge here.
Famous for its perfumes, the key issues in Kannauj revolve around its famed perfume industry, agricultural development, and infrastructural growth. The perfume industry, which is a significant contributor to the local economy, faces challenges because of global competition.
Farmers in the region seek better support prices for their crops and improved irrigation facilities. Moreover, the need for better roads, healthcare, and educational institutions are some recurring demands among the locals.
Ajay Shukla, a local, told The Sunday Guardian, “The city still has narrow lanes. The roads in the inner parts of the city are congested. Navigating through these narrow lanes is quite challenging for the people.” The roads that were constructed were later dug up by the water department to lay pipelines. Due to this, many areas have potholes. Although patchwork was done later on, the unevenness couldn’t be eliminated. There are no solid arrangements that could made for waste disposal in the city known for its fragrance. As a result, tons of waste are disposed of daily on both sides of main roads. When travelling out of the city towards Kanpur or Farrukhabad, heaps of garbage lining the roadsides and the smoke rising from burning it catches everyone’s attention. Those responsible are turning a blind eye to it.”
The city is also renowned for its production of ittar, which are natural perfumes derived from flowers, herbs, and spices, the industry provides many people with job opportunities.
Perfumers in Kannauj have expressed concerns over the fading fragrance of their industry, blaming successive governments for neglecting their plight. The imposition of an 18% GST on base oils by the current government has been particularly criticised for denting the income of local perfumers. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, contesting from Kannauj, has promised to revive the lost glory of India’s perfume capital. This has led to discussions on ‘attar politics’, with some perfumers sceptical of the promises.
Similarly, the issue of stray cattle roaming free within the city and in the fields causes road accidents to commuters and destroys the crops of farmers.
Hema Ram, a farmer, said, “Farmers in Kannauj cultivate potatoes twice a year, but there isn’t an industry based on potatoes here. We store potatoes in cold storage and are compelled to sell them at local market rates. However, he appreciated the “Kisan Samman Nidhi” scheme of the central government, which ensures the direct transfer of money to small and marginalised farmers.
Speaking with the newspaper, a professor from Lucknow University asserted, “We have seen in the past too that heavyweight leaders have faced defeat in UP.” The Samajwadi Party has an equally strong voter base, but the Modi factor certainly gives the BJP an edge.
Pathak has defeated Dimple previously, so he is equally strong as Akhilesh. It would be interesting to watch this contest but Akhilesh contesting election has given a positive message for the party.
Kannauj has elected some eminent politicians. Established in 1967, it was represented by socialist stalwart Ram Manohar Lohia, Congress leader Sheila Dikshit in 1984, and Mulayam Singh Yadav, patron of the Samajwadi Party in 1999.
Kannauj is poised for the Lok Sabha election on May 13.