The Lok Sabha constituencies of Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad, and Azamgarh have long been regarded as strongholds for the late Mulayam Singh Yadav's family, largely due to the sizable Yadav population in these areas.
Yet, in the current electoral landscape, candidates from the Yadav family vying for these seats are encountering challenges. The aggressive campaigning by the BJP, bolstered by the charismatic appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has created an uneasy atmosphere for them.
With the absence of Mulayam Singh Yadav from the electoral fray for the first time since the inception of the Samajwadi Party (SP) in 1992, the responsibility of retaining these family seats falls upon Akhilesh Yadav.
In Mainpuri, Dimple Yadav, seeking re-election, faces formidable opposition from UP Minister Jaiveer Singh, amidst aggressive campaigning by the BJP.
Dimple Yadav in Firozabad bypolls in 2009 when Raj Babbar of the Congress defeated her and then again in 2019 from Kannauj when Subrat Pathak of the BJP.
She acknowledges the tough battle ahead and has intensified her campaign efforts, with her daughter Aditi Yadav also rallying support.
Similarly, in Kannauj, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's eleventh-hour candidature announcement reflects the party's determination to reclaim the constituency after Dimple Yadav's defeat in 2019 at the hands of BJP’s Subrat Pathak.
However, the BJP's retention of Subrat Pathak poses a formidable challenge.
The most significant challenge for the SP arises in Budaun, where Aditya Yadav, son of Shivpal Yadav, contends for the seat amid internal family dynamics and competition from the BJP's Durvijay Shakya.
Despite confidence from Shivpal Yadav, the entry of BSP candidate Muslim Khan complicates the electoral landscape as Budaun constituency has 400,000 Muslim voters.
In Firozabad, Akshay Yadav, supported by Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, faces tough competition from the BJP's Vishwadeep Singh, with the latter reaching out to the Thakur community.
Meanwhile, Dharmendra Yadav's candidacy in Azamgarh gains traction with the support of former rival Guddu Jamali, potentially posing a challenge to BJP's sitting MP and Bhojpuri star Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua.
However, amidst the electoral fervor, controversies such as Aditya Yadav's old photographs surfacing on social media add a new dimension to the campaign narratives.
As Uttar Pradesh gears up for the third phase of elections on May 7, the outcome in these constituencies remains uncertain, reflecting the evolving political landscape in the state.
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