Akhilesh Yadav to contest 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday announced that he would contest the Lok Sabha elections of 2019. Akhilesh Yadav was speaking at
a press conference at the party headquarters in Lucknow.

Also, Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue of malfunctioning of EVMs in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls held on Monday.

"There were complaints regarding EVMs in various areas. We demand voting through ballot paper in all upcoming elections. Voting through ballot will strengthen democracy. I also hope that people will be given a chance to vote again in areas where EVMs were faulty," he said.

Kairana is being seen as a popularity test for the ruling BJP in the electorally crucial state of UP. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of BJP MP Hukum Singh and his daughter Mriganka is the party's candidate -- pitted against Rashtriya Lok Dal's Tabassum Hasan supported by the Congress, SP and BSP.

The Noorpur bypoll was necessitated by death of sitting BJP MLA Lokendra Singh Chauhan. The BJP has fielded his wife Avani Singh, while SP has given ticket to Naeemul Hasan.

Akhilesh Yadav represented Kanouj parliamentary constituency in 13th, 14th and 15th Lok Sabha. He vacated the seat after he became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2012. His wife Dimple Yadav contested from Kanouj and won the seat.