Lucknow, April 14 -- The Samajwadi Party (SP) announced a new list of candidates on Sunday, showcasing a deliberate emphasis on caste balance by ensuring representation for Dalits and backward communities.

The latest list features seven names carefully selected to maintain caste equilibrium, with three candidates hailing from Dalit and backward backgrounds each, along with one Brahmin candidate. Akhilesh Yadav's party strategically deployed candidates across various constituencies, with Amarnath Maurya chosen for Phulpur, Ram Shiromani... Verma for Shravasti, and Bhishma Shankar Tiwari contending for Dumariyaganj.

Additionally, Lashmikant, popularly known as Pappu Nishad, emerged as the candidate from Santkabir Nagar, Ramshankar Rajbhar from Salempur, Babu Singh Kushwaha from Jaunpur, and Priya Saroj from Machhilishahr.

This recent announcement follows the party's earlier declaration of candidates for Kaushambi and Kushinagar Lok Sabha seats.

Pushpendra Saroj, the son of SP national general secretary Inderjit Saroj, will contest from Kaushambi, while Ajay Pratap Singh, also known as Pintu Sainthwar, will represent the party in Kushinagar.

Pushpendra Saroj, hailing from the political stronghold of Manjhanpur Assembly seat in Kaushambi district, steps into the electoral fray following his father's legacy.

Pintu Sainthwar, meanwhile, previously contested elections as an SP candidate from the Deoria Assembly seat in 2022, continuing the political lineage of his late father, Janmejay Singh, a former BJP MLA.

In what promises to be a tightly contested race, Pushpendra Saroj will challenge Vinod Sonkar, the incumbent BJP MP in Kaushambi, seeking re-election for a third term.

Similarly, in Kushinagar, Pintu Sainthwar will vie against sitting MP Vijay Kumar Dubey, who has once again secured the BJP's nomination.

As anticipation and competition intensify in the political landscape, the SP's strategic nominations underscore its commitment to securing a robust presence in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.