Akhilesh to contest from Kannauj in 2019, Mulayam from Mainpuri

Lucknow, June 14 (IANS) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday announced that he would be contesting the 2019 general elections from Kannauj, while his father Mulyam Singh Yadav would be contesting again from party stronghold of Mainpuri.

Addressing a press conference here, flanked by his wife Dimple Yadav, the sitting MP from Kannauj, he said that he has understood that elections had now become an "art of management" and added that he would now do the same.

Akhilesh Yadav, who currently is not a legislator as his term on the legislative council ended in April, had started his parliamentary career from Kannauj. He later quit the seat, paving the way for his wife to contest from the seat. 

Mulayam Singh has represented Mainpuri thrice in the Lok Sabha and won the seat in 2014 as well along with Azamgarh but he chose to retain the latter as he wanted to contain the influence of the Modi wave in Poorvanchal as eastern UP is popularly known.