AGRA: Raghuraj Singh Shakya, BJP candidate for Mainpuri Lok Sabha by-poll, filed his nomination on Wednesday after paying respects at Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav‘s samadhi sthal in Saifai. Shakya was once a close associate of the SP patriarch’s brother, Shivpal Yadav, but quit his Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party to join BJP earlier this year. Prior to that, he was in SP and had sided with Shivpal after the latter formed his own party.
BJP on Tuesday had named Shakya, two-term Lok Sabha MP from adjoining Etawah, as its candidate to take on SP’s Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav, on the seat considered as a stronghold of the SP.
UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, state BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, Union minister B L Verma and state general secretary Ashwani Tyagi, among others were present during the filing of Shakya’s nomination.
Shakya, addressing a large gathering, said, “This time, lotus will bloom in Mainpuri and the BJP will win with record votes.”
Echoing similar sentiments, deputy CM Maurya, said, “If you remember, PM Modi did not campaign in Mainpuri in 2014 and 2019 general elections out of respect for Netaji. Despite that, the people here supported the candidates of BJP. Akhilesh cannot be Netaji as he only wants to take the benefit of his father’s name. People here know that well.”
BJP on Tuesday had named Shakya, two-term Lok Sabha MP from adjoining Etawah, as its candidate to take on SP’s Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav, on the seat considered as a stronghold of the SP.
UP deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, state BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, Union minister B L Verma and state general secretary Ashwani Tyagi, among others were present during the filing of Shakya’s nomination.
Shakya, addressing a large gathering, said, “This time, lotus will bloom in Mainpuri and the BJP will win with record votes.”
Echoing similar sentiments, deputy CM Maurya, said, “If you remember, PM Modi did not campaign in Mainpuri in 2014 and 2019 general elections out of respect for Netaji. Despite that, the people here supported the candidates of BJP. Akhilesh cannot be Netaji as he only wants to take the benefit of his father’s name. People here know that well.”