The BSP and Congress have yet to release the names of their candidates, but people here see the poll as a direct contest between the SP and the BJP.

Akhilesh Yadav’s party declared the candidacy of former MLA MP Pandey for the seat on Tuesday evening.

A promising young leader from Lucknow University, Pandey had won the seat in 2012 but lost in 2017. He was also a cabinet minister in Akhilesh Yadav.

Even though the SP has released the name of its candidate, BJP supporters are still wondering whether it will be MP Ved Prakash Gupta or someone else.

As in the past, Ayodhya serves as a springboard for all the major parties to launch its electoral campaign this time too.

Nayaghat’s Suraj Kumar said, “There is resentment against the incumbent MP as he could not meet the aspirations of the people. If the BJP changes its candidate, it will be to its advantage.”

“A lot of work has been done here due to land acquisition and for development works also demolitions have taken place. When there is development some structures have to be razed,” he said. note.

Asked about the resentment among shopkeepers, Ayodhya Vyapar Mandal Chairman Nand Kumar Gupta said that the widening of the road from Saadatganj to Ayodhya Ghat requires the demolition of shops.

“These shops are on Raja (Ayodhya) or temple properties. Traders here will not receive any compensation. It is a matter of subsistence as they have been here for three or four generations,” Gupta said.

According to the proposed plan, two sections of the road in Ayodhya dham (Old Town of Ayodhya), including the one leading to the historic Hanuman Garhi Temple, would be widened.

Shopkeepers oppose the plan because a large number of stores will be demolished for it, he said.

Another major road extension is proposed on the 4.6 km stretch between Naya Ghat and the Udaya crossing, where the road would be 24 feet wide (12 feet on both sides of the divider). Traders want it reduced to 20ft, said another local trader.

Apart from anti-incumbency, another thing that is against the local BJP MP, according to fellow trader Janardan Pandey, is that despite being a trade leader himself, he could not voice effectively the voice of his community before the government.

Rakesh Singh, a student at Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, said the BJP government tried to present Ayodhya as a newly developed city with an upcoming international airport, a world-class railway station and several other projects under the framework. of the Ramayana circuit.

“It is certainly something appreciated by everyone in Ayodhya. Who will not like the development of their city?” He asked.

Ashish Kumar, a BJP supporter who came to pay his respects at Hanuman Garhi Temple, when asked about the party’s chances of victory in Ayodhya, said, “The BJP leadership must be aware of the realities on the ground. Whoever will be our candidate (BJP) the person will definitely win.”

The Ayodhya assembly segment will go to vote in the fifth phase on February 27.

The seat was held by BJP’s Lallu Singh, now a party MP, in 1991, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2007. He tasted defeat to SP’s Pawan Pandey in 2012, however.

In Ayodhya constituency, there are 13-15% Brahmins and Yadavs and 18-20% Muslims.

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