Yadav vs Yadav in Azamgarh: ‘Nirahua’ peps up poll battle in UP
Rohan Dua | TNN | Updated: Apr 4, 2019, 12:32 ISTHighlights
- Our Prime minister is following righteous politics and I must support him to keep Purvanchal on track, 'Nirahua' told TOI.
- 'Nirahua', however, says he will always remain grateful to Akhilesh for awarding him the Yash Bharti in 2016.
LUCKNOW: A few weeks ago, Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ was busy filming an action sequence for his 2019 pre-production ‘Thik Hain’, his 44th Bhojpuri film in the heart of Varanasi, till caste queries from film fraternity on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls began to stir him.
On Wednesday, when BJP announced the candidature of the 40-year-old popular actor against SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav from Azamgarh, he couldn’t help but launch an attack on the former chief minister. “Wherever I go for a shoot, people think since I am from Purvanchal, political parties only engage in caste-based politics and we support them. I was in the middle of a sequence when I heard about the BSP-SP tie-up being announced. Yet again, caste politics will be a hurdle to development. Our Prime minister is following righteous politics and I must support him to keep Purvanchal on track,” 'Nirahua' told TOI.
Complete coverage: Lok Sabha elections 2019
While political pundits believe BJP’s decision to field him against Akhilesh was a masterstroke as the Bhojpuri singer from Birha family, enjoys unwavering support among youth and middle-income strata in eastern UP, there are those who believe it will turn out to be a Yadav versus Yadav battle.
'Nirahua', however, says he will always remain grateful to Akhilesh for awarding him the Yash Bharti in 2016.
“I may be a Yadav, but I am Indian first. I want to ask how many Yadavs have been fielded beyond Akhilesh’s family members? Similarly, how many Dalits have been fielded by Mayawati,” he asked.
BJP tasted success in 2009 Lok Sabha polls when its candidate Ramakant Yadav was elected from Azamgarh. In 2014, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav won his debut election from Azamgarh.
On Wednesday, when BJP announced the candidature of the 40-year-old popular actor against SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav from Azamgarh, he couldn’t help but launch an attack on the former chief minister. “Wherever I go for a shoot, people think since I am from Purvanchal, political parties only engage in caste-based politics and we support them. I was in the middle of a sequence when I heard about the BSP-SP tie-up being announced. Yet again, caste politics will be a hurdle to development. Our Prime minister is following righteous politics and I must support him to keep Purvanchal on track,” 'Nirahua' told TOI.
Complete coverage: Lok Sabha elections 2019
While political pundits believe BJP’s decision to field him against Akhilesh was a masterstroke as the Bhojpuri singer from Birha family, enjoys unwavering support among youth and middle-income strata in eastern UP, there are those who believe it will turn out to be a Yadav versus Yadav battle.
'Nirahua', however, says he will always remain grateful to Akhilesh for awarding him the Yash Bharti in 2016.
“I may be a Yadav, but I am Indian first. I want to ask how many Yadavs have been fielded beyond Akhilesh’s family members? Similarly, how many Dalits have been fielded by Mayawati,” he asked.
BJP tasted success in 2009 Lok Sabha polls when its candidate Ramakant Yadav was elected from Azamgarh. In 2014, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav won his debut election from Azamgarh.
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