In the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha general elections, the Samajwadi Party on Friday announced its first batch of six candidates for Uttar Pradesh.
In a list that was made official today, Samajwadi Party has fielded party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri parliamentary constituency.
In addition to Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP had also fielded two family members of Mulayam Singh Yadav namely nephew Dharmendra Yadav from Badaun and senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav's son Akshay Yadav from Firozabad.
Apart from this, Samajwadi party has also announced the candidates for three reserved constituencies- Itawa, Robertsganj and Bahraich.
According to the list, Kamlesh Katheria will contest the Etawah reserved seat, Bhailal Kol has been fielded on Robertsganj reserved seat, and Shabbir Balmiki from Bahraich.
Samajwadi Party's decision to release its first list comes after the Congress released its first list for Lok Sabha polls on Thursday that included contenders for 11 seats in UP, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi from their respective constituencies of Rae Bareli and Amethi.
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The first list of six candidates of the Samajwadi Party also includes Kamlesh Katheria from Etahwah, Shabbir Valmiki from Behraich and Bhai Lal from Robertsganj.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav in multiple interviews repeatedly stressed that opposition unity was in tact and that the Congress continued to be part of their (SP-BSP) alliance with an allotment of two seats.
However, this statement seemed contrary to Congress' designs in Uttar Pradesh after the party released its first list of Lok Sabha candidates on Thursday that included 11 contenders from UP alone.