Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav cautioned voters of Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency to be vigilant against Bharatiya Janata Party machinations ahead of polling.

The SP chief’s wife Dimple Yadav is seeking re- election from Kannauj for a third time. Kannauj goes to polls in the fourth phase on April 29.

“Ever since the SP defeated the BJP in the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypoll in March 2018, (Chief Minister) Yogi Adityanath is keeping a close tab on Kannauj seat,” Akhilesh said while  addressing an election meeting in support of his wife at Chhibramau on Wednesday.

Exhorting the cadres of Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh said, “Close your ranks and shun differences... Persuade voters of others parties and respect them.”  

“No one in political circles ever imagined that SP and BSP would agree to join hands and contest election in alliance. The unthinkable has happened, and it has rattled the BJP. So beware of conspiracies of the ruling party,” the SP chief cautioned.

Akhilesh further added, “BSP chief Mayawati   will come to this constituency next week to address a joint rally of alliance leaders at Tirwa in Kannauj district.”

Dimple Yadav was first elected unopposed from Kannauj in the Lok Sabha bypoll in June 2012.  The seat was vacated by Akhilesh Yadav as he took over as UP Chief Minister in March 2012.

Dimple was re-elected from Kannauj in 2014 general election, defeating her nearest rival and BJP’s Subrat Pathak by a slender margin of 19,907 votes.

The Samajwadi Party has not lost from Kannauj, better known as the perfume capital of India, since 1998 and the Yadav family has been holding the seat for the last 20 years.

Both Congress and BJP have won this seat once each, in 1984 and 1996 respectively.

Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had also contested parliamentary election from this high-profile constituency and had emerged victorious.