Lok Sabha elections 2019: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Azamgarh

Lucknow, Apr 18: Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav filed his nomination from the Azamgarh constituency on Thursday.

He is expected to address a public gathering in Baitholi village along Azamgarh-Mau highway. Azamgarh is currently being represented by SP patriarch and Akhilesh's father Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Meanwhile, the BJP has fielded Bhojpuri star Dinesh Lal Yadav popularly known as "Nirahua" against Akhilesh Yadav. In his maiden contest, Nirahua will be up against a political heavyweight.

The reins of power in Azamgarh have shuffled between the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party since 1996. Mulayam Singh Yadav won from Azamgarh in 2014, amid a strong 'Modi wave' by over 63,000 votes against the BJP's Ramakant Yadav. He also won the Mainpuri seat in 2014 by a margin of about 3.5 lakh votes but later resigned from it to retain Azamgarh.

The Samajwadi Party is in alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections.

Voting in eight Lok Sabha seats - Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Fatehpur Sikri, Nagina, Amroha, Mathura, Agra- are underway in Uttar Pradesh. The seven-phase Lok Sabha battle will culminate with the counting of votes on May 23.