Leaders trust kin over workers with pol legacy

The trend has caught on not only with parties like the Congress, BJP and SP, but also BSP which has in the past claimed that it was a cadre-based party and had been targetting other parties for their "dynastic culture".

BSP state President Swami Prasad Maurya, who himself is contesting from Padrauna has not only managed party tickets for his son Utkarsh alias Ashok Maurya from Unchahar seat (Raebareli) but also for his daughter Sanghmitra from Aliganj seat in Etah.

BSP Zonal coordinator, MP Jugal Kishore has managed a ticket for his son Saurabh from Kasta assembly seat in Lakhimpur Kheri, while former health minister Anant Mishra, whose name figured in the NRHM scam - has managed the party ticket for his wife Sikha Mishra from Maharajgang seat (Kanpur).

Similary Power Minister Ramveer Upadhaya, who is contesting from Sikandarau seat has succeeded in ensuring ticket to his brother Vinod Upadhyar from Dibai constituency in Bulandsahar, while Transport Minister Ram Achal Rajbhar has launched his son Sanjay Rajbhar from Akbarpur seat.

In BJP, the scene is not different with party MP Lalji Tandon managing ticket for his son Gopal Tandon from the Lucknow North seat on which party leader Amit Puri got defeated with a narrow margin in the last assembly polls.

While senior party leader Professor Ramji Singh managed to bag a ticket for his son Arijit Singh in Mau, BJP MP from Azamgarh Ramakant Yadav, who is charged with several cases has managed to get BJP tickets not only for his wife, son and nephew, but for many other supporters.

Party MP Jagdambika Pal, who got ticket for his son Abhishek Pal is also toiling hard to ensure his victory to carry forward his legacy. Similarly, Congress state President Rita Bahuguna Joshi got a ticket for her bother Shekhar Bahuguna and Union Law Minister Salman Khursheed for his wife Louise Khurshid.

Congress MP Harshwardhan`s son Raj Vardhan, Rajeshpati Tripathi`s son Laliteshpati, Ramlal Rahi`s daughter-in-law Manjari Rahi, former MP Jitendra Sahi`s son Jai Singh - all have managed tickets for their near ones. In the Samajwadi Party too, the dynasty syndrome seems to be the order of the day.

Former Minister Reoti Rama Singh`s son Ujjwal ram, Naresh Agarwal`s son Nitin Agarwal, party MP Bal Kumar`s nephew Veer Singh, brother of Shailendra Kumar, SP MP from Kaushambi all figure in the list of candidates.