Lucknow, April 18: Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday filed his nomination papers from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, presently represented by his father and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav will face a challenge from Bhojpuri superstar Nirahua, or Dinesh Lal Yadav, who has been nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Mulayam Singh had won from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat in 2014 elections along with Mainpuri seat, which he had represented thrice earlier in 1996, 2004 and 2009. Azamgarh, which has a significant Muslim-Yadav population, has been won by either the SP or the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) since 1996. However, in 2009 Lok Sabha polls, Ramakant Yadav won on a BJP ticket. He has now joined the Congress. Azamgarh Lok Sabha Constituency in Uttar Pradesh: Candidates, Current MP, Polling Date and Election Results 2019.

Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple on April 6 filed her nomination papers from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat. She chose the auspicious first day of the 'Navaratras', considered lucky to initiate any important work, to file her nomination from the seat she won the first time in a 2012 bypoll and then retained in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The SP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal have forged a pre-poll alliance led by BSP chief Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections. The SP is contesting 37 seats, the BSP 38 and Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) three. The alliance is not fielding candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli - held by Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi respectively.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in the state started on April 11 and will last till May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2019 01:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).