The keenly watched contest in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur Lok Sabha constituency, which until now seemed like a straight combat between BJP’s Kripa Shankar Singh and Samajwadi Occasion’s Babu Singh Kushwaha, has all of a sudden grow to be a three-cornered one with the entry of Srikala Reddy Singh, the spouse of jailed strongman-politician Dhananjay Singh, on a BSP ticket.
Srikala, 53, is the sitting zila parishad chairman of Jaunpur, the submit she was elected to in 2022.
Referring to her husband’s incarceration in a case of extortion and kidnapping, Srikala says, “My husband has been a sufferer of political animosity. The best way he has been focused earlier than the election doesn’t change the assist he has from the individuals of Jaunpur. Furthermore, the opposite two candidates are outsiders and would depart the constituency. We have now been right here in Jaunpur and could be right here for our individuals.”
Srikala, whose household hails from Telangana, did her education in Chennai, and is an architect by occupation.
Asserting that she isn’t new to politics, Srikala says: “This can be my Lok Sabha election debut, however I’ve labored on the bottom. I’ve seen my mom, who was the village head in addition to my father, who was an Unbiased MLA from Huzurnagar Meeting work as nicely. I’ve watched my husband give 100 per cent to the individuals of the constituency day and evening. I’ve additionally labored for individuals because the chairperson of Zila Parishad for the previous three years.”
She, nevertheless, admits that politics in Uttar Pradesh and within the South is “rather a lot totally different”. “There are a lot of elements within the North, together with caste, that play an even bigger function alongside growth works.
When requested if the language is a barrier that constrains her, Srikala replies: “Hindi samajh aur bol leti hun. Teen sal ho gaye. Vaise bhi, bhav agar sahi hote hain toh log bhasha samjh lete hain (I can now converse and perceive Hindi. It has been three years since I used to be elected. Furthermore, in case your intentions are proper, then individuals perceive you).”
Banking on her husband’s assist base in Jaunpur, in addition to her personal political expertise to sail via the competition, Srikala desires individuals to see “the opposite facet” of Dhananjay Singh.
Notably, Dhananjay had received from Jaunpur 15 years in the past throughout the 2009 Lok Sabha polls on a BSP ticket. Since then, the seat has been received by the BJP and BSP one time every. In 2014, BSP’s Krishna Pratap Singh had received by defeating Subhash Pandey of BSP by a margin of over 2 lakh votes. Dhananjay Singh, who had contested as an Unbiased. Had polled about 64,000 votes.
Within the final Lok Sabha elections in 2019, BSP’s Shyam Singh Yadav received the seat by polling about 5 lakh votes. The BSP had shaped an alliance with the SP. BJP’s Krishna Pratap Singh had come second, securing about 4.40 lakh votes.
Jaunpur, which has a dominant inhabitants of Muslims, has thus far been dominated both by Yadavs or Thakurs. Like Kripa Shankar Singh, Dhananjay Singh can also be a Thakur.
