Ten SP ministers face tough test

Bahraich: Ten ministers of the Akhilesh government are in troubled waters in their own constituencies where polling is being held on Monday. Most of these ministers are either caught in a web of caste politics or are facing a high level of the anti-incumbency factor.

The most controversial minister in the Akhilesh government, Gayatri Prajapati, is caught in a web of circumstances. Booked in a rape case on the orders of the Supreme Court, Prajapati is finding it difficult to wish away his bad luck.

Prajapati is pitted against the Garima Sinh (BJP) and Ameeta Sinh (Congress), two wives of Congress MP Dr Sanjay Sinh. He had hoped to pick up OBC and MBC votes but a host of OBC candidates fielded on lesser known parties like Jan Adhikar Party and Lok Dal are chipping away on his support base.

Veteran SP leader and minister Avadesh Prasad is also facing trouble in his constituency. A strong anti-incumbency wave and aggressive campaign by BJP and BSP candidates is making the going tough for him.

Bansidhar Baudh, the SP minister who hit the headlines for his honesty and frugal living, is in a soup because of caste equations. The BSP has fielded Kiran Bharti, a Dalit married to Mohd Shaukat Khan, a Muslim.

The husband and wife are making inroads among Muslims who form the support base of the Samajwadi Party and also among Dalits—the community to which the minister belongs.

SP minister Ram Murti Varma in Akbarpur  is caught in a triangular contest with Ram Achal Rajbhar , state BSP president and Chandra Prakash Varma posing a tough challenge. All three are laying their claim on the OBC votes in the constituency.

Dr S P Yadav, another minister from Gainsdi in Balrampur district, is caught in casteist crossfire with three Muslim candidates pitted against him.

Caught in a similar situation is minister Ram Karan Arya in Mahadeva assembly segment in Basti district.

UP minister Vinod Singh Pandit is battling to retain his Tarabganj seat in Gonda district. He has changed his seat this time but the going is not easy for him

In Matera in Bahraich, minister Yasser Shah, known as one of the best ministers in the government, is facing two Muslim candidates from BSP and AIMIM who are cutting into his support base.

UP minister Tej Narain Pandey , who was expelled from the party  by former state president Shivpal Yadav for beating up another legislator and later reinstated by Mr Akhilesh Yadav, is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave  in his constituency Ayodhya.

Senior minister Shankhlal Manjhi has changed his seat form Katehri to Jalalpur in Ambedkar Nagar but he is being give a tough time by BJP’s Rajesh Singh and Ritesh Pandey of BSP.