The Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh has a unique electoral dynamic, prominently featuring an alliance between Muslims and Yadavs, known as the M-Y combination. This alliance has been a winning formula in 17 out of the last 20 elections held in this constituency, underscoring its effectiveness in the region.
In the current election, scheduled for May 25, this proven strategy is again at play. Two Yadav candidates are the primary contenders: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Dinesh Lal Yadav, popularly known as Nirahua, and Samajwadi Party’s Dharmendra Yadav, cousin of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. Adding to the competition, the Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded Mashood Ahmed, making it a triangular contest among nine candidates.
Azamgarh, a district renowned for its literary figures like Ayodhya Singh Upadhyay, Mahapandit Rahul Sanskrityayan and Kaifi Azmi, has also faced infamy for its alleged links to terrorism, notably the Batla House encounter in Delhi. Despite its controversial past, the district has seen progress and development in recent years.
The affection of the Muslim community for the Mulayam Singh Yadav family has made the election particularly intriguing.
BJP’s Nirahua, who won the last by-election against Dharmendra Yadav, faces a tough challenge this time. The SP’s prospects have been bolstered by Shah Alam, alias Guddu Jamali, who joined the party after securing over 2.66 lakh votes in the 2014 elections against Mulayam Singh Yadav.
In the previous by-election, Guddu Jamali’s significant vote bank played a crucial role in the outcome. This time, his support for the SP could disrupt BJP’s calculations. Meanwhile, BSP’s Mashood Ahmed aims to attract both Muslim voters and the BSP’s traditional vote base.
The Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency, after the 2009 delimitation, includes Azamgarh Sadar, Gopalpur, Sagdi, Mubarakpur and Mehnagar assembly segments, all currently represented by SP MLAs. Despite the strong BJP wave in other parts of Uttar Pradesh, the M-Y alliance helped the SP win all ten assembly seats in Azamgarh in the 2022 elections. The district is divided into two Lok Sabha constituencies – Azamgarh and Lalganj.
Historically, the Congress was a dominant force in Azamgarh until 1984, after which the rise of ‘Mandal-Kamandal’ politics shifted the landscape. The BSP first won this seat in 1989, followed by a series of victories for the SP and BSP until the BJP’s breakthrough in 2009. Mulayam Singh Yadav reclaimed the seat for the SP in 2014, and his son Akhilesh Yadav won it in 2019 before vacating it, leading to Nirahua’s victory in the subsequent by-election.
Unemployment remains a significant issue in this election. Both Akhilesh Yadav and Nirahua have made notable contributions to the district’s development.
The constituency’s caste demographics include 24 per cent Dalits, 20 per cent Yadavs and 12 per cent Muslims.
Candidate profiles:
Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua (BJP): A well-known Bhojpuri actor and singer, Nirahua is contesting for the third consecutive time. He first won the seat in the 2022 by-election by defeating Dharmendra Yadav.
Dharmendra Yadav (SP): The nephew of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Dharmendra is running for the second time from Azamgarh. He previously served as MP from Mainpuri and Budaun.
Mashood Ahmed (BSP): A seasoned politician from Paharpur, Ahmed has been active in student and local politics and recently joined the BSP with his wife.
