SP fields sitting BJP MP against Anupriya Patel

LUCKNOW: In a curious turn of events, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has changed its candidate for the Mirzapur seat on Sunday. Now, the sitting Bhadohi BJP MP Ramesh Bind is the SP’s candidate, challenging the BJP-ally Apna Dal (S) MP Anupriya Patel.

Ramesh Bind, the sitting BJP MP from Bhadohi, was denied a ticket by the BJP. Instead, the BJP fielded Vinod Kumar Bind as its candidate.

With this change, the contest for the Mirzapur Lok Sabha seat becomes more interesting, as it involves two MPs. Simultaneously, the SP has fielded a former BJP MP, Chotelal Kharwar, for the Robertsganj Lok Sabha seat.

Chotelal Kharwar served as the BJP’s MP from the Robertsganj seat from 2014 to 2019. However, in 2019, the BJP allocated the seat to its alliance partner, Apna Dal (S), much to Kharwar’s dismay. For the 2024 polls, Apna Dal (S) has fielded Rinki Kol as its candidate.

Ramesh Bind rebelled against the BJP after being denied a ticket and there were speculations that he might join the SP, which he eventually did. With Bind now contesting for the SP, the main contest in Mirzapur is between two MPs while the main contest in Robertsganj is between the former MP, Chotelal Kharwar, and a sitting MLA, Rinki Kol, who represents Mirzapur’s Chhanbey seat.

Both seats will go to polls in the seventh and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This will be the second Lok Sabha constituency where two MPs will be contesting. Previously, the Bulandshahr Lok Sabha constituency, where voting took place on April 26, witnessed two MPs in the fray. The incumbent BJP MP from Bulandshahr, Bhola Singh, and the BSP’s sitting MP from Nagina, Girish Chandra, contested in Bulandshahr.