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The heavyweights in major political parties, including Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, may not be in the fray in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls but their prestige is at stake with their near and dear ones testing political fortunes in Uttar Pradesh.
Apart from ruling Samajwadi Party, BSP, Congress and even BJP leaders have fielded their close family members in various constituencies.
As Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple is contesting from Kannauj seat, the Chief Minister has made the constituency a priority while holding rallies across the state.
SP National General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav is also busy in monitoring poll management for his son Akshay Yadav, who is contesting from Firozabad seat while another party leader and State minister Kamal Akhtar is toiling hard to ensure victory of his wife Humaira Khatoon from Amroha.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Mahendra Aridaman Singh, whose wife Pachhilika Singh has been given SP ticket from Fatehpur Sikri, is also in the same league.
Another interesting case is of MLA Anand Singh, who was holding Agriculture department portfolio but was sacked for anti-party activities last month. His son Kirtivardhan Singh is now contesting on a BJP ticket from Gonda seat.
In BSP, the situation is no different.
BSP's Muslim face and former minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui has a daunting task of mobilising Muslims in favour of the party apart from campaigning for son, Afzal Siddiqui, who is contesting from Fatehpur. Naseemuddin's wife Husna Siddiqui is a sitting MLC.
Former energy minister and senior BSP leader Ramveer Upadhyay, though not in the contest, is facing a similar situation with wife Seema Upadhyay and brother Mukul Upadhyay in the fray from Fatehpur Sikri and Ghaziabad seats, respectively.
