3 of family contesting polls against each other
HARIDWAR: Three members of a family, including sitting Congress legislator Mamta Rakesh, are contesting against each other on Bhagwanpur assembly segment of Haridwar district.
The assembly seat is a bastion of the Rakesh family, which has been winning from here since 2007 and almost certain to represent the seat again in the assembly election as its members are candidates of three prominent political parties.
Congress has re-nominated Mamta Rakesh, Bahujan Samaj Party has pitted her brother-inlaw Subodh Rakesh and the BJP has given ticket to Subodh Rakesh’s uncle Master Satyapal in the seat. The first member to contest from the Bhagwanpur assembly segment was late Surendra Rakesh in 2002 on a BSP ticket. He lost to BJP’s Chandrasekhar Bhattewala. In 2007, Surendra Rakesh avenged the loss against the same BJP opponent. In 2012, Surendra Rakesh won on a BSP ticket and became cabinet minister for social welfare and transport as he supported the Congress-led state government. But due to his demise, bye-election was held in 2015 and Congress fielded his wife Mamta Rakesh, who won with a record margin of 36,909 votes.In 2017 Subodh contested on a BJP ticket against Mamta Rakesh but lost the election by 2,500 votes. Last December, Subodh left the BJP to join the BSP and is contesting against Mamta along with their distant uncle Master Satyapal, the BJP candidate.
On her contesting against her relatives, Mamta Rakesh said on the electoral field, she is a politician but surely it hurts that after death of her husband when she needed support of family, they turned away joining other parties and even not hesitating to contest against her.
“I am here to carry forward the political and social legacy of my deceased husband Surendra Rakesh. I am serving in his capacity only and my past two victories point that people have faith in me. Their support will ensure win this time also,” said Mamta Rakesh.Subodh said he has been real heir to his deceased brother’s political legacy. “Supporters and well-wishers of Bhagwanpur urged me to join the BSP as it is the party catering to poor, Dalits and all segments of society. This time people of Bhagwanpur will give verdict in my favour as they were misled in previous few elections,” he said.
Political analyst Mahesh Parikh said in past seven years, Mamta Rakesh has worked hard, reaching out to voters personally. So, it won’t be easy for her brother-in-law to defeat her.