The Samajwadi Party (SP) has declared that its chief and former chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, will be contesting the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election from the Karhal seat in Mainpuri district.
This came just a day after talks that Akhilesh Yadav would contest from the Gopalpur seat in the Azamgarh district.
Karhal has been a SP stronghold since 1993 with only one exception in 2002 when the seat went to the BJP. The sitting MLA, who was with the BJP when he won the seat for the first time in 2002, later crossed over to the SP and has been successfully contesting the seat since then.
Akhilesh, who represents Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat, had earlier indicated that he would not contest the assembly elections. When he was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2017, he had taken the legislative council route.
Also Read: Goa elections: AAP names Amit Palekar as its CM face
Elections to the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
The Karhal seat goes to polls on February 20, the third phase of voting.
This is going to be Yadav’s first assembly election as a candidate. When he was the chief minister between 2012 and 17, he had taken the Legislative Council route.
(With inputs from agencies)
