SP Baghel vs Akhilesh Yadav: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Union Minister SP Baghel against Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal seat, considered to be a stronghold of the Yadav family. Karhal which is part of the Mainpuri parliamentary constituency was once represented by party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Interestingly, Baghel, a former UP Police sub-inspector, was once a security officer of former UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. It was Mulayam who brought Baghel into politics.
Baghel, who represents Agra in the Lok Sabha, said he will give Akhilesh a tough fight after filing nomination from Karhal on Monday, January 31, 2022.
Baghel has won Lok Sabha election from Jalesar 1998, 1999 and 2004 as a Samajwadi Party candidate. He later moved to Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. Baghel won 2017 UP Assembly election from Tundla on BJP ticket and joined Yogi Adityanath government as a minister.
In 2019, he contested Lok Sabha election from Agra and won. He is currently Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice in the Modi government at the Centre.
Karhal will go to polls on February 20 in the third of the seven phase elections in the state.
