Newcomers political fate hang in balance in Sitapur

Sitapur, UP, Apr 19 (UNI) Three newcomers are set to don the mantle of their illustrious fathers who represented various constituencies in their career even as the ruling Samajawadi Party is locked in a tussle with the BSP, BJP and Congress in the nine assembly seats at stake in this district adjacent to the state capital.

These constituencies are going to polls in the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on April 23.

These sons at present in different professions are vying for assmebly berths in their maiden foray into the political arena.

Vijay Kumar, a 26 year old unmarried engineer by profession- is trying his luck from Macheratta assembly seat replacing his father Ram Krishna as a BSP candidate.

In Mishrikh, SP's sitting MLA Omprakash Gupta, against whom there are more than 50 criminal cases, has opted out from the seat and the party has given a ticket to his 40 year old son Anup Kumar, also the Zila panchayat member.

Similarly, former assembly deputy speaker and Congress leader Amaar Rizvi has encouraged his 35-year-old son Meesam, a lawyer by profession, to opt for a BSP ticket to contest from Mahmoodabad seat.

On Hargaon seat Ramesh Rahi, son of former Union Minister Ramlal Rahi is the ruling Samajwadi Party candidate. He has contested the 2002 elections also.

There is a quadrangular contest in the offing at all these seats with the ruling SP and the Mayawati-led BSP locked in main fight.

In 2002 polls, the SP had won the majority six seats while the BSP had to be satisfied with two and BJP with one seat.

The rich agricultural produce region, mostly known for the sugarcane belt is dominated by the Yadav and Kurmi communities, spread out in all the nine constituencies but other communities like Brahmin, Dalits, muslims also have their say in the respective pockets and can change the political scenario due to tactical voting.

However, the ruling party facing a tough anti-incumbency factor with local problems like bad roads, law and order problems and poor supply of power are expected to be the main issue for all parties before the voters.

The Macheratta (reserved) seat is witnessing a keen tussle of ballots as the newcomer Vijay Kumar of the BSP is giving a tough fight to SP's Rampal Rajvanshi, Ashish Kumar of Congress and Ramdayal of the BJP.

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