Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow is known for many things — the capital of India's political hub, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's land and the city of 'tehzeeb.' In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is attempting to represent Atal's legacy by contesting for the BJP. Will he succeed? The Quint finds out in this ground report.
Rajkishore Pandey, a local of the city, says of the BJP that "they will win, not for their work, but because of their name." Shameel Shamsheer, another local, disagrees and says that “because of UP CM Yogi Adityanath's statements, it looks like the BJP won't get any support.”
After 1991, the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat has been a BJP stronghold. SP-BSP have never won from here. But this time, opposition parties are hoping to make inroads. The SP-BSP gathbandhan has named Poonam Sinha as their candidate. From the Congress, Acharya Pramod Krishnan is fighting it out
BJP has been trying to highlight its development policies in Lucknow, but the people don’t seem to be buying it.
The Lucknow Lok Sabha seat has 21% Muslim voters. Shia voters are in majority and have always supported the BJP. But this time, they are upset with Yogi Adityanath's statements and his constant religious rhetoric. Unemployment and price rise might be big obstacles in BJP's path, but Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh still emerges as the strongest candidate in the city. Which way will the vote swing? Watch the full video to know more.
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