Lok Sabha polls 2024: Akhilesh Yadav to contest election from Kannauj, file nomination tomorrow

Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Akhilesh Yadav will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections 2024 from Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj. He will be filing his nomination papers on April 25.

Speaking to India Today TV, his uncle Ram Gopal Yadav said there was no confusion regarding Akhilesh Yadav's candidacy.

Earlier in the day, when he was asked about the speculations on his nomination, Akhilesh said, “When nomination happens then you will come to know. The question is of Kannauj's historic victory...The people have made up their minds that the INDIA alliance is coming as the future and the BJP will be history in this election…”

Akhilesh had won the Kannauj seat in 2000. Later, he represented the seat in 2004 and 2009. He left the seat after he became chief minister in 2012, and his wife Dimple Yadav won the by-election unopposed. Later, Dimple won the seat in 2014 but lost to the BJP's Subrat Pathak in 2019.

Earlier, the SP had declared Tej Pratap Yadav as its candidate for the seat.

When asked whether he will contest from the seat or Tej Pratap will remain the party's candidate, Akhilesh told reporters, "See, when there are nominations, you will get to know. Maybe you will get to know before nominations also."

When asked whether party workers of Kannauj wanted him to contest from the seat, Akhilesh said, "The question here is of historic victory from the seat. The BJP will become history in this election as people have made up their mind for the INDIA bloc. People are going to vote against the NDA. PDA (picchde, Dalit, alpsankhyak) will defeat the NDA this time."

Kannauj will go to the polls on May 13.

(With inputs from PTI and India Today)