The Samajwadi Party (SP) recently made a second change in its candidate for the Meerut Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Atul Pradhan, the legislator who was replaced, has expressed his acceptance of the decision while also planning to have a discussion with his colleagues soon. In a post on a social media platform, Pradhan mentioned his respect for SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s decision and his intention to engage in dialogue with his associates.
During an interaction with news agency ANI, Sardhana MLA from SP stated that the final decision has been concluded regarding the candidate change. Pradhan acknowledged the unpredictable nature of politics and real-life situations, emphasizing his commitment to respecting the party’s choices. It is noteworthy that Atul Pradhan, who is a first-time MLA, was substituted by Sunita Verma, the wife of the former legislator Yogesh Verma.
The alteration in the candidate selection for the Meerut parliamentary seat began with the replacement of the original nominee, advocate Bhanu Pratap Singh, by Atul Pradhan. Now, Sunita Verma has been chosen as the candidate by the Akhilesh Yadav-led party. Pradhan’s gracious acceptance of the decision and his plans to discuss with colleagues highlight the internal dynamics and adaptability within the Samajwadi Party amidst political shifts.The decision to announce Singh’s candidacy brought about some unease among local Samajwadi workers, leading the SP to reconsider its choice. Eventually, Singh was replaced on Monday. From Meerut, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated actor Arun Govil, known for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the 1980s ‘Ramayan’ TV series. Govil’s nomination coincided with the opening of the Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya in January, a significant event fulfilling a key promise made by the BJP in their 2019 election manifesto.
In the last three Lok Sabha elections (2009, 2014, 2019), the BJP’s Rajendra Agarwal secured victory in the Meerut constituency. Now, the saffron party has chosen Govil to contest from this seat after he joined the party in March 2021. Uttar Pradesh, being the most populous state in India, holds significant political weight by sending 80 representatives to the Lok Sabha, the highest among all states and Union territories. Maharashtra follows with 48 seats, and West Bengal with 42 seats.
