OI Exclusive: Akhilesh Yadav Calls For Abolishing Agniveer, Citing National Security Concerns

As Lok Sabha Election 2024 has reached the second phase and is heading to the third phase, the OneIndia team had a conversation with the Samajwadi Party's Chief Akhilesh Yadav.

During the talk at Jaswant Nagar, in Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency a lot of agendas were discussed with him such as the Abki baar 400 paar factor, Covishield, Agniveer etc.

Photo Credit: Oneindia

Akhilesh Yadav On Agniveer

While Talking to OneIndia's Pankaj Mishra on the importance of Agniveer, Akhilesh Yadav said, "Agniveer should be abolished. If one has to protect their country and if you want to portray a strong army in front of China then such scheme like Agniveer will not be accepted by the opposition or by the Samajwadi party."

Akhilesh Yadav From Kannauj Seat

Five days ago, nomination papers were filed on Thursday from the Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, accompanied by Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav. Akhilesh served as Lok Sabha MP from 2000-2012 and resigned from the Kannauj parliamentary seat in 2012 after SP won the assembly election.

He resigned as Chief Minister after the SP lost the state election in 2017. In 2019, Akhilesh successfully contested the Lok Sabha polls from Azamgarh. However, after winning a seat in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Akhilesh resigned as Lok Sabha MP and retained his state assembly seat, as per media reports.

Voting on the Kannauj seat will be held in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 13. Earlier, Tej Pratap Yadav, Akhilesh's nephew and son-in-law of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, was announced as the candidate from Kannauj by the Samajwadi Party.

As per the seat-sharing agreement between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is contesting on 17 seats, while candidates from the remaining 63 seats have been fielded by the Samajwadi Party.

In the 2019 general elections, the BJP emerged triumphant, securing 62 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Two seats were clinched by its ally Apna Dal (S). Mayawati's BSP managed to secure 10 seats, while Akhilesh Yadav's SP garnered five. The Congress party was relegated to just one seat, as reported by ANI.