With less than a month to go, the Samajwadi Party (SP) is still undecided over its choice for Gautam Budh Nagar Lok Sabha seat. Over a week after declaring Rahul Awana as its candidate for Lok Sabha elections in Gautam Buddha Nagar, the SP nominated Dr Mahendra Nagar again on Thursday. The Samajwadi Party has so far released seven lists, announcing candidates for 48 seats. As part of a seat-sharing deal with the SP, the Congress will contest in 17 parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Thursday again changed its choice for the Gautam Budh Nagar Lok Sabha seat for 2024 general elections, fielding Dr Mahendra Nagar against Bharatiya Janata Party's Dr Mahesh Sharma, a two-time sitting MP from this seat.
Notably, Dr Mahendra Nagar was on March 16 declared as the SP candidate only to be replaced by Rahul Awana on March 20. According to the latest reports, Nagar's candidature has now been finalised at the party's Lucknow headquarters in the presence of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Why the change
According to reports, a complaint was registered against Rahul Awana for the violation of the election's Model Code of Conduct. To avoid any controversy SP renominated Mahendra Nagar against BJP's three-timer Mahesh Sharma.
Not just Gautam Budh Nagar seat
The Samajwadi Party on Sunday renominated its Lok Sabha MP from Moradabad S T Hasan from the same seat and changed its Bijnor candidate by fielding Deepak Saini, the son of a party MLA. The party announced the names in a post on X. The Samajwadi Party had earlier named Yashveer Singh as its candidate from Bijnor. Confusion prevailed for several hours after two candidates each in Rampur and Moradabad parliamentary constituencies claimed to be the SP's official nominees. SP leaders Muhibullah Nadvi and Asim Raja filed their nominations from Rampur while party leaders Ruchi Veera and Hasan from Moradabad. The party later clarified that Muhibullah Nadvi from Rampur and Ruchi Veera from Moradabad are its authorised candidates.
