Akhilesh Yadav likely to keep Lok Sabha Kannauj seat

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is likely to retain his Lok Sabha seat of Kannauj over his membership of the UP legislative assembly where he represents the Karhal seat of Mainpuri, a senior SP leader has said, even as Akhilesh dropped hints to the media about the possibility of carrying out backchannel talks for "humouring" people for INDIA to form a government at the Centre.

Later in the day, in a veiled message to BJP's allies, particularly the JDU, Yadav said people going with the BJP are doing so because they are ridden with apprehension about their parties getting broken up in future (by the BJP). However, a government formed on such a foundation of mutual doubt cannot be solid. He asked them to support the "people in releasing the country from the grips of communal politics".

"They should also respect the true mandate of the people and help people to rid the country from the grips of communal politics. The doubts they have between them cannot lay a solid foundation for any government to stand on. One doesn't always get this historic opportunity to save the country, constitution and democracy. If you miss this call, you will miss carving a role for yourself in the formation of history," Yadav said on X.


Yadav, who is currently an MLA from Karhal as well as the leader of the opposition in the UP legislative assembly, contested the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat this time and won, throwing up questions as to which seat he would retain.

"The decision has to be taken by him, he will finalise his decision by tomorrow. He is more likely to retain Kannauj," senior SP leader and spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told ET. Asked who would be made the LoP in UP in the event of Yadav going to Delhi, Chaudhary said that the call will be taken later after he tenders his resignation.