With nearly two weeks left for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the battle for Lucknow Cantonment seat has become fierce after the BJP reportedly denied the ticket to BJP MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s son, Mayank. According to sources, Mayank Joshi may switch over to the Samajwadi Party.
“I categorically contract this. I have campaigned for my party in Prayagraj in the last four days and have reached Delhi for the Budget Session. Away from limelight, Mayank Joshi is in his home in Lucknow,” said Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi had won the 2017 assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt, and, later, when she became the MP, the seat fell vacant and BJP’s Suresh Tiwari became the MLA.
When Aparna Yadav joined the BJP, there were speculations that she might be fielded from Lucknow Cantt as she had bagged around 60,000 votes from the constituency on a Samajwadi Party ticket in 2017 elections.
The issue of Lucknow Cantt seat snowballed when Rita Bhauguna Joshi openly came out in the press and said her son “deserves” the ticket as he has been working hard for several years for the party. The BJP MP even said if required she can even tender resignation for her son. Incumbent BJP MLA Suresh Tiwari, however, has said he “deserves to be fielded again”.
Sources have suggested that the BJP may neither field Mayank Joshi nor Aparna Yadav from Lucknow Cantt and may even drop the incumbent MLA Tiwari. Sources in the BJP say the party may consider fielding a new Brahmin face from this seat. The Lucknow Cantt seat houses a significant number of Brahmin voters along with a huge chunk of Pahadi voters who majorly reside in Telibagh area of the assembly.
If SP fields Mayank Joshi from this seat, it has probably nothing to lose as its 2017 candidate Aparna has switched to the BJP making room for a new candidate from SP on this seat. Taking a look back, the Lucknow Cantonment seat was won by Rita Bahuguna Joshi in 2017 on BJP ticket while in 2012 the seat was with her but on a Congress ticket. In 2007, 2002 and 1996, the seat was with Suresh Chandra Tiwari from BJP.
SP spokesperson Fakrul Chand confirmed to News18 that not just Mayank Joshi but his mother and BJP MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi was also in touch with the party leadership. “He has sought time to meet our party president, whatever the outcome will be, it will be told to the media. It is right to say that Rita Bahuguna Joshi and her son both are in constant touch with the SP leadership. Rita ji has earlier also been in touch with Akhilesh ji, I am hopeful that soon both Rita ji and her son may join SP.”
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