Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

Young Saroj is here to avenge father’s defeat!

- ksandeep.kumar@livehindus­tan.com K Sandeep Kumar

IF HE WINS, HE COULD WELL EMERGE AS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST MPS IN THE COUNTRY

PRAYAGRAJ : Aged just 25, Pushpendra Saroj has entered the political fray as a Samajwadi Party candidate from Kaushambi parliament­ary seat. This young graduate from Queen Mary University of London who had started campaignin­g and engaging with people from a cross section of society even before the formal declaratio­n of his candidatur­e, is here to strive to avenge his father Indrajeet Saroj’s defeat here during the 2019 polls.

The five-time MLA and a former UP cabinet minister as an SP candidate, Indrajeet had lost the seat to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Vinod Sonkar by 38,722 votes. Interestin­gly, his son Pushpendra will also be taking on Sonkar, the two-time MP from Kaushambi who is now vying for a hattrick from this seat in 2024.

If Pushpendra, who has completed his graduation from Queen Mary University of London in 2019, bags a win, the youngster, already among the youngest candidates in poll fray this time, could well emerge as one of the youngest MPs ever in the country. The record is presently with Chandrani Murmu who won the Keonjhar parliament­ary seat of Odisha on Biju Janata Dal ticket in 2019.

She was 25 years 11 months and eight days old at the time of getting elected while Pushpendra who was born on March 1, 1999 would be younger, if elected.

Pushpendra is a big advocate of youngsters entering the political area in service to the nation.

“The biggest issues facing the youngsters and the people in general today are unemployme­nt and inflation, and youths’ participat­ion in politics is a must to resolve these problems effectivel­y. I am committed to raising these issues effectivel­y in the Parliament one elected,” said Pushpendra who completed his schooling from Welham Boys’ School in Dehradun before heading to London to earn his BSc in Accounting and Management.

If elected, Pushpendra said he would be focusing on areas such as water supply, sanitation, electricit­y and infrastruc­ture developmen­t. He said that he is a firm believer in inclusivit­y and justice for all sections of the society as has been inculcated in him by his father who has been instrument­al in shaping his political ideology.

SP leaders maintain that Pushpendra’s candidacy is a further sign of the party favouring younger leaders better in tune with the aspiration­s and problems being faced by the youngsters.

 ?? HT ?? Pushpendra Saroj busy campaignin­g in Kaushambi
HT Pushpendra Saroj busy campaignin­g in Kaushambi

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