Akhilesh Yadav will contest from Karhal Assembly constituency, a Samajwadi Party bastion, in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Election.
New Delhi: Karhal Assembly Constituency will go to the polls on phase three of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election which will be held on February 20. Karhal Assembly seat, which is considered a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, lies in the Mainpuri district. This seat has been represented by Sobaran Singh Yadav of Samajwadi Party (SP) since 2007. This time, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will contest from the Karhal Assembly seat in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. The Congress has fielded Gyanvati Yadav against Akhilesh Yadav in the Karhal Assembly seat while Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party fielded first-timer Kuldeep Narayan.
A BSP leader said Kuldeep Narayan, who belongs to the Jatav community, will be contesting the Assembly elections for the first time. “Kuldeep Narayan belongs to the Jatav community and has been working for the party at the grassroots level, strengthening the support base of the party in Mainpuri,” the BSP leader was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
In 2017 UP Election, Samajwadi Party’s Sobaran Singh Yadav won the Karhal assembly seat with a margin of 38,405 votes by defeating BJP leader Rama Shakya.
The Yadav factor in Karhal seat
The Karhal Assembly constituency falls under the Mainpuri parliamentary constituency. Karhal is a Samajwadi bastion and Mulayam Singh Yadav represents the Mainpuri parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha. Karhal has over 1.44 lakh Yadav voters and is considered ‘safe’ for the Samajwadi leadership.
This is the first time that Akhilesh Yadav will be contesting the Assembly elections. After the Mandal agitation, the Yadav community rallied behind Mulayam Singh Yadav and then the Samajwadi Party. In 2017 and 2019, about 26- 27 per cent of the Yadavs backed the BJP, according to Lokniti, a centre for the study of developing societies findings.
Why Akhilesh Yadav chose Karhal seat over Azamgarh
Just like Karhal, Azamgarh Assembly seat is a Samajwadi Party stronghold. Karhal was the seat where Nathua Singh Yadav, the mentor of Mulayam Singh Yadav, had won in 1957 polls. Sources said inititally the party leadership had indicated Akhilesh Yadav contesting from Gopalpur seat in Azamgarh. Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had even hinted that he may contest from Azamgarh, which is also his parliamentary constituency. “I will take the permission of the people in Azamgarh and then contest the elections from there,” Akhilesh Yadav said.
However, Akhilesh Yadav later sealed the deal to contest from Karhal Assembly seat in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls. Political observers say Akhilesh Yadav went with Karhal as it is considered to be a ‘safe seat’ for Samajwadi Party which has a long history with the Assembly constituency.
Karhal Assembly Constituency: A look at key figures
| Year | A C No. | Constituency Name | Category | Winner | Gender | Party | Votes | Runner Up | Gender | Party | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 110 | Karhal | GEN | Sobaran Singh Yadav | M | SP | 104221 | Rama Shakya | M | BJP | 65816 |
| 2012 | 110 | Karhal | GEN | Sobaran Singh Yadav | M | SP | 92536 | Jaivir Singh | M | BSP | 61593 |
| 2007 | 322 | Karhal | GEN | Sobaran Singh | M | SP | 52471 | Ramesh | M | BSP | 35142 |
| 2002 | 322 | Karhal | GEN | Sovran Singh | M | BJP | 50031 | Anil Kumar Yadav | M | SP | 49106 |
| 1996 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Baboo Ram Yadav | M | SP | 51253 | Subhash Chandra | M | BJP | 38109 |
| 1993 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Baboo Ram Yadav S/O Shri Jorawar Singh | M | SP | 39764 | Subhash Chandra Yadav S/O Nathoo Singh | M | BJP | 30022 |
| 1991 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Babu Ram Yadav | M | JP | 41895 | Sunder Singh Baghel | M | INC | 28524 |
| 1989 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Babu Ram Yadav | M | JD | 58315 | Subhash Chander | M | INC | 34978 |
| 1985 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Babu Ram Yadav | M | LKD | 49087 | Sheomangal Singh | M | INC | 30060 |
| 1980 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Sheo Mangal Singh | M | INC(I) | 41662 | Babu Ram Yadav | M | JNP(SC) | 29203 |
| 1977 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Nathu Singh | M | JNP | 39148 | Sheo Vaksh Singh Rathaur | M | INC | 20167 |
| 1974 | 338 | Karhal | GEN | Nathu Singh | M | BKD | 28998 | Shiv Mabgal Singh | M | BJS | 22072 |
| 1969 | 342 | Karhal | (SC) | Munshilal Chamar | M | SWA | 22562 | Ram Singh | M | BJS | 7826 |
| 1967 | 342 | Karhal | (SC) | M.L.Chamar | M | SWA | 14634 | R.Singh | M | BJS | 9664 |
| 1962 | 347 | Karhal | (SC) | Ram Singh | M | SWA | 8789 | Munshi Lal | M | REP | 7608 |
| 1957 | 127 | Karhal | (SC) | Ram Din | M | PSP | 24800 | Sheo Baksh Singh | M | INC | 24072 |
| 1957 | 127 | Karhal | (SC) | Nathu Singh | M | PSP | 33231 | Daya Nand Vyas | M | INC | 20479 |
(Source: Elections.in)
Karhal Assembly Seat – Key Dates
Date of Polling: Sunday, February 20
Date of Counting: Thursday, 10 March
Karhal Assembly Seat: Key candidates
Akhilesh Yadav – Samajwadi Party (SP)
Gyanvati Yadav – Congress (INC)
Kuldeep Narayan – Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
2022 Uttar Pradesh polls: All you need to know
The voting for 403 member-Uttar Pradesh Assembly will take place in seven phases from February 10-March 7. The results for 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls will be announced on March 10. Polling for first and second phase will be held on February 10 and February 14 on 58 assembly seats across 11 districts and 55 assembly seats in nine districts. The voting for 59 assembly seats across 16 districts in third phase of Uttar Pradesh election will take place on February 20. In fourth phase, the polling for 60 assembly seats in nine districts on February 23. The polling for fourth phase will be held on February 27 for 60 assembly seats across 11 districts.
The BJP announced that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will contest from Gorakhpur (Urban) assembly constituency, and Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will contest from Sirathu assembly seat in Prayagraj district.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has stitched together alliances with small parties to set the caste equations right. Ahead of the polls, Akhilesh Yadav patched-up with estranged uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav. Shivpal Yadav has also accepted Akhilesh Yadav as his leader. Shivpal Yadav will contest Jaswantnagar seat. In Western UP, the Samajwadi Party has an alliance with Jayant Chaudhary’s RLD.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, who will not contest in the upcoming 2022 Uttar Pradesh Election, kicked-off her poll campaign by organising a prabudh sammelan. Mayawati’s party is eyeing the bastions of other political parties, but whether it will succeed in its endeavour or not will be known in the times to come.
The Congress is also claiming that it will win the Assembly polls. The grand old party has announced schemes for women in a bid to woo the fairer sex. It has roped in chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states for campaigning.
