Congress Makes a Historic Comeback in Sitapur Parliamentary Seat After 35 Years

Pune, 5h June 2024:- Sitapur, UP – In a significant political shift, Congress has reclaimed the Sitapur parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh after a 35-year hiatus. Rakesh Rathore of Congress emerged victorious over BJP candidate Rajesh Verma by a substantial margin of 89,641 votes. Rathore secured 531,138 votes, while Verma garnered 441,497 votes. The last Congress MP from this constituency was Rajendra Kumari Bajpai, elected in 1989.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate, Mahendra Singh Yadav, received 99,364 votes, failing to make a significant impact on the election. Smaller parties and independent candidates did not manage to cross the 10,000-vote mark.

The initial phase of Congress’s campaign appeared similar to previous elections, marked by internal turbulence. Nakul Dubey’s ticket was unexpectedly withdrawn, and Rakesh Rathore was named the candidate. Despite the quiet start, Rathore’s campaign gradually gained momentum. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) initially underestimated his efforts, focusing on promoting the central and state government’s schemes.

As the election progressed, the Congress, in alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), began to resonate more with voters. BJP leaders eventually recognized the growing influence of Congress but were too late to counter it effectively. Voters, desiring change, gravitated towards Congress.

Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, had emphasized the coordination between Congress and SP in their state rallies from the outset. In a public meeting in Laharpur, Amit Shah criticized Congress on reservation issues. Despite these efforts, the local BJP unit failed to aggressively challenge Congress in grassroots meetings, relying instead on statistical claims of Rajesh Verma’s victory.

The election became distinctly bipolar, with voters leaning heavily towards Congress’s promises. This shift was significant enough that even the core supporters of BSP moved away from their party, aligning their interests with Congress. Congress successfully appealed to backward classes, further broadening their support base.

This victory marks a momentous return for Congress in Sitapur, reflecting a desire for change among the electorate and highlighting the dynamic nature of political allegiances in Uttar Pradesh.