BJP strives to script history in Sarojini Nagar Assembly seat

Image
Press Trust of India Sarojini Nagar (Lucknow)
Last Updated : Feb 06 2017 | 1:07 PM IST
After presenting herself as a strong woman face and donning the mantle of UP BJP women wing chief, Swati Singh has a tough responsibility at hand, to win the Sarojini Nagar Assembly seat which the saffron party has never won.
Swati, who hogged limelight when her husband Dayashankar Singh, then state vice president BJP, had made derogatory remarks against BSP supremo Mayawati and in a tit-for-tat, BSP leaders did the same during their protest.
On her campaign trail, Swati vows to fight for 'samman' (honour) of women as she did for her own daughter after derogatory remarks were made against her daughter and mother-in-law during a BSP protest last year.
"I wanted to contest against BSP supremo Mayawati, who talks of honour of women but did nothing when her workers made remarks against my little daughter. As she is not contesting, my party has given me ticket from this seat and I am working hard," Swati told PTI.
About the seat, where BJP never won, and has been held by SP and BSP candidates during the past decades, a confident Swati said she was working hard and hoped to script a new history by winning the seat.
With Swati jumping in the fray, the fight has become
interesting with rebels of BJP and SP also testing their popularity.
While SP has given ticket to Anurag Yadav, cousin of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav; sitting SP MLA and minister Sharda Pratap Shukla is contesting as a rebel and is out to queer Anurag's pitch.
BJP rebel Rudra Daman Singh alias Babloo is also in the fray. After being denied ticket, he is contesting as Shiv Sena candidate.
Babloo was runners up on the seat in 2012 polls and secured 41,333 votes, much more than BJP candidate Virendra Tiwari, who got only 29,339 votes and finished third.
Dayashankar was expelled by his party in July last over use of certain derogatory words against Mayawati.
His remarks had triggered a nation-wide outrage.
This time he is working hard for his wife's victory.
Anurag, who is brother of SP MP Dharmendra Yadav, is banking on "kaam bolta hai" slogan and trying to make his presence felt.
Shukla, on the other hand, is not new in the battle of ballots and is appealing to voters on the basis of his performance as their representative, claiming he has done "a lot for the constituency".
Polling in this constituency will be held in the third phase on February 19.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 06 2017 | 1:07 PM IST

Next Story