LUCKNOW: Akhilesh Yadav’s decision to give party nominations to three “outsiders” in the fifth and latest list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections has not gone down well with the party rank and file. Many aspiring Samajwadi Party leaders from western UP’s Nagina, Meerut and Bhadohi seats feel disappointed.The party nominees declared in the third round of candidate selection on Friday, especially in a few western UP seats, have fueled discontent. The party preferred Advocate Bhanu Pratap Singh from the Meerut seat and retired additional district judge (Bijnor) Manoj Kumar from Nagina in Bijnor district while sparing the Bhadohi seat for Trinamool Congress, an INDIA ally.Party insiders say sitting MLA Atul Pradhan of Sardhana in Meerut district was an aspirant for the ticket from Meerut. He was ready to field his wife if the party did not select him. The BJP has been winning from Meerut since 2014, and Rajendra Agarwal has been the MP twice. The BSP was the runner-up in 2014 and 2019.After the list, Pradhan wrote on X: “The people of Meerut prayed for me. I apologise to you for not getting a chance.”
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