Lucknow: In the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, people of Lucknow are exercising their right to vote by standing in long queues at polling booths since morning to elect their representatives. While people of the district are voting in large numbers to elect their MP, voters of Lucknow East Assembly are showing full enthusiasm in electing their MLA along with MP. While opposition parties are hoping to capture the Eastern Assembly along with Lucknow Lok Sabha, BJP has the challenge of saving its stronghold. Because since 1991, BJP has been continuously waving its flag on the Eastern Assembly along with Lucknow Lok Sabha.
Victory is considered certain this time too
Rajnath Singh is in the fray for the Lok Sabha seat from BJP for the third time in a row. His victory on this seat is considered certain to a large extent because the opposition has not fielded any strong candidate according to Rajnath’s stature. Apart from this, BJP has put in all its strength to capture Lucknow East Assembly, because this time the fight here is considered to be a close one. While BJP has bet on OP Srivastava this time, the SP-Congress India alliance has fielded Mukesh Chauhan. Understandably, by-election is being held on this seat after the death of Ashutosh Tandon, who was MLA from this seat for three consecutive times.
Ashutosh was the son of former MP and Governor of Lucknow, Lalji Tandon. After becoming MLA for the first time in 2014, he won this seat three consecutive times and also became a part of the cabinet in the Yogi government of the state in 2017.
BJP has been winning continuously since 1991
After his death, it was believed that BJP could field Ashutosh Tandon’s son Amit Tandon, but BJP has expressed confidence in the party’s old leader OP Srivastava, on the contrary. Srivastava is a member of the BJP State Working Committee. Along with this, he also has the responsibility of the state coordinator of the Lifelong Support Fund Department. He has also handled the responsibility of the post of treasurer in the regional Awadh region. In such a situation, the party has given him a big responsibility by giving him a MLA ticket. The challenge before him is to hoist the saffron flag strongly once again on the seat which is considered the party’s stronghold. If we look at the history of Lucknow East seat, then in 1951, Chandrabhanu Gupta of Congress was elected MLA for the first time from this seat. After this, till 1991, MLAs of other parties including Congress kept winning from this seat.
After 40 years, in 1991, BJP tasted victory on this seat and Bhagwati Prasad Shukla hoisted the saffron flag. Since then, the public has been reposing faith in the lotus flower on the Lucknow East seat and the candidates have been winning by a big margin in every election. For the last 33 years, from SP, BSP to Congress tried to capture this seat by fielding different candidates but every time they had to face defeat. It is a big responsibility on the shoulders of OP Srivastava that the lotus flower blooms once again on this saffron stronghold and the record remains intact. However, voters are openly exercising their franchise today. In such a situation, it will be decided only on 4 June whether BJP will be successful in saving its stronghold or the All India Alliance will raise its flag.
