Rita Bahuguna Joshi, MLA from Congress, has emerged as the main challenger to Rajnath Singh in a multi-cornered contest being watched by the entire nation with great interest.

Why Lucknow is so important? Because it is the same constituency that had sent Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lok Sabha five times. It is known as his “karm bhumi”.

People are already talking about the hidden agenda of Rajnath Singh to become prime minister after winning from Lucknow, in case BJP required more partners and Modi is not acceptable to them.

There is a perception in Lucknow that Rajnath Singh deserted his Ghaziabad seat from where he won in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. It’s being said he was not feeling conformable because of AAP’s growing graph over the last few months.

It is also known that Samajwadi Party had helped Rajnath Singh last time by not fielding any candidate against him because of his proximity with Amar Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Son after his arrival, BJP president announced in Lucknow that he was contesting to carry forward the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Singh said he intended to fulfill all of Vajpayee’s dreams and finish the work started by the former prime minister.

Rajnath Singh is aware of the presence of large number of central and state government employees and their families in the historic city. That is why he promised that he would look into their problems which have been pending for last so many years.

In order to win over large number of youth in the constituency, especially those who are first-time voters, Singh said if voted into power, the NDA government would create more employment and set up more industries. He also promised to fulfill Vajpayee’s idea of setting up a biotech city in Lucknow, which would provide new technology and more jobs.

But the main problem for Rajnath Singh is the decline within BJP since 1991 Lok Sabha polls. According to an estimate, BJP lost over three lakhs votes since last six Lok Sabha polls. The fact remains that there has been a rise in city population and number of voters. Another problem is the presence of over four lakh Brahmins voters out of total number of 18 lakh voters. Brahmin voters not only dominate the constituency but also influence the result.

Rajnath is all set to face wrath of local BJP leaders who are unhappy with the party for denying ticket to sitting MP Lalji Tandon. It may be mentioned that Tandon had been managing election of Atal Bihari Vajpayee since 1991.

People have not forgotten as to how Tandon was instrumental in defeat of party candidate Amit Puri in by-elections for Lucknow west seat vacated by Lalji Tandon who was elected to Lok Sabha in 2009. Tondon as upset party had denied ticket to his son.

It may be mentioned that Lucknow has four Brahmin MLAs – Kalraj Mishra from BJP, Sharda Pratap Shukla and Abhishek Mishra from Samajwadi Party and Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Congress. Although rival political parties have fielded three prominent Brahmin candidates, political experts opine that community will support the candidate perceived to be in main fight.

BSP has fielded Nakul Dubey, who had been minster in Mayawati government, and is campaigning for almost two years now. He is campaigning over achievement of his party government, especially in the field of law and order and infrastructure work done in the city.

Much significance is being attached to the change in the candidate by Samajwadi Party at a time when Rajnath Singh was present in the city. SP replaced former minister and veteran party leader Ashok Vajpayee with minister of state Abhishek Mishra, who is close to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. People have asked whether this change took place to help Rajnath Singh. However, CM Yadav has not only praised Abhishek but also exuded hope that his party will win the coveted seat.

Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who had lost by margin of 40,000 in 2009 Lok Sabha polls to BJP veteran leader Lalji Tandon in only 10 days of campaign as her ticket was declared very late, is the front runner to take on Rajnath Singh.

The fact remains that BSP candidate in 2009 Akhilesh Das had spent huge funds for almost two years as his candidature had been announced earlier and had manipulated all the prominent religious leaders to enlist their support but he is now pushed to the third position after Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

Now Rita Bahuguna Joshi, daughter of late chief minister HN Bahuguna, has the support from majority of almost four lakh Brahmins, five lakh minority community votes and over two lakh hill population settled in Lucknow.

AAP is facing revolt like situation after announcing candidate of Bollywood actor Javed Jaafri. Prominent personalities from Lucknow had appeared for interview for the candidature of AAP but party gave ticket to the person who was not even member of the party nor he ever applied for ticket. Adarsh Shastri, grandson of late PM Lal bahadur Shastri who left high salaried job to join AAP, was also in the race for AAP candidate for this coveted seat.

People of this city of nawabs will watch the elections with great interest and hope as the future of BJP national president is at stake. Political experts opine that entire saffron brigade would camp in Lucknow to see that Rajnath Singh won from Lucknow to carry forward the legacy of Atal Behari Vajpayee. (IPA Service)