Akhilesh faces huge challenge in Mainpuri

Lucknow, Nov 8 (IANS) There is turbulence in the party and a growing sense of unease in the family.

Less than a month after the demise of Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav faces a major challenge in the form of by-elections in Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat that was held by his late father.

The Mainpuri seat is extremely crucial for the Samajwadi Party as well as the family since it has been one of the strongest Samajwadi bastions since 1989.

With the by-election on the Mainpuri seat scheduled to be held on December 5, deciding the candidate is a major challenge for Akhilesh Yadav - more so, since Shivpal Singh Yadav had announced a few months ago that he would contest the Mainpuri seat in 2024 if Mulayam Singh did not.

"Shivpal Yadav may not accept an outsider on this seat and it is important for Akhilesh to keep the family and the party united at this juncture-especially after the recent defeat in Lakhimpur Kheri. If Shivpal does contest the seat, it would lead to a split in our vote base and the Samajwadi Party could suffer a loss of face," said a veteran party leader.

There is also pressure on Akhilesh to ensure the party's victory in Mainpuri because the Samajwadi Party has faced a series of defeats since he took over the reins of the party.

Akhilesh, under his leadership, lost the 2017 Assembly polls, 2019 Lok Sabha polls and then the 2022 Assembly polls.

After the 2022 Assembly polls, the SP has faced a humiliating defeat in the Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha bypolls and now the Lakhimpur by-election.

A further defeat in Mainpuri (and Rampur) could bring out knives for Akhilesh in the party and the family.

If family sources are to be believed, the choice is narrowing in on Tej Pratap Yadav, who had won the Mainpuri seat in the 2014 by-elections.

Tej Pratap Yadav is Mulayam's grand-nephew and has been close to him. It was Mulayam who guided Tej Pratap in politics and the latter always sought his advice on crucial matters.

Tej Pratap is the son-in-law of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and has been nursing the Mainpuri seat after Mulayam won the elections in 2019.

Tej Pratap, grandson of Mulayam's eldest brother, was Netaji's constituency representative since the SP patriarch was unwell for the last two years.

"He knows the people of the constituency like the back of his hand and happens to be the obvious choice of the SP," said a senior party leader.

Moreover, Tej Pratap is equally close to Shivpal and family sources said that if Tej Pratap is named the candidate, Shivpal would not challenge him in the by-elections.

"In the absence of Mulayam Singh, it is now his younger brother Abhay Ram who is trying to keep the family united and he has suggested that Tej Pratap should contest from Mainpuri. This would avert any further confrontation between Akhilesh and Shivpal," said a family source.