Lok Sabha Elections 2024: How Azam Khan forced SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to give ticket to Ruchi Veera from Moradabad

The confusion over the Samajwadi Party’s authorised candidates for Moradabad Lok Sabha seats was cleared when two candidates filed nomination papers claiming to be the official candidates.

The authority canceled Hasan's nomination, while Ruchi Veera was given a new form. District Magistrate Manvendra Singh confirmed that Hasan's nomination was revoked.

"We have received the cancellation of the form that was filed by Hasan and a new form has been given to Ruchi Vira...As of now, She (Ruchi Veera) will be the authorised candidate..." he added.

March 27, 2024

Samajwadi Party leader Ruchi Veera filed her nomination from the Moradabad constituency for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

it was speculated earlier last night that Veera would be the new candidate for the Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency, replacing Hasan, on behalf of the Samajwadi Party. 

According to the reports, senior SP leader Azam Khan is behind the change of candidate. According to the sources, he was angry with Hasan's candidature as the current MP. 

Veera is regarded as a notable figure in Azam Khan's camp.

Party’s national spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI that the sitting MP from Moradabad, Hasan’s ticket has been cancelled. In his place, former Bijnor MLA Veera has been made the party candidate.

Apart from this, Nadvi is the party’s authorised candidate from Rampur.

Nadvi is the imam of Parliament Street Jama Masjid in Delhi.

He admitted that earlier there were some doubts regarding the candidates on both the seats (Rampur and Moradabad) but later they were rectified.

Nadvi told reporters after filing the nomination, “SP president Akhilesh Yadav ji has sent me. Azam Khan is also my sympathizer and I pray for him. I have filed my nomination from the Samajwadi Party and I have also got the cycle symbol.” 

Raja, a close confidante of Azam Khan, told reporters, “We have filed our nomination as a Samajwadi Party candidate. Who will contest the elections will be decided on March 30 (the date of withdrawal of nominations).” On the question that along with him, Nadvi has also filed nomination as the SP candidate from Rampur, Raja said, “I am saying that 20 people should file the nomination… What will happen with that? Everything will be finalised on the 30th March.” Regarding the Moradabad seat, Veera told reporters that the party leadership has given her the ticket and hence, she has come to file the nomination.

Asked whether she has got the party’s election symbol, Veera said, “We will get the symbol.” On Hasan, Veera said, “Ask this to the party leadership. He is not my rival but my elder brother.” Veera is also considered close to senior SP leader Azam Khan.

Today was the last day of filing nominations for the elections of Moradabad Lok Sabha seats. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on Thursday while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 30.

Voting on these seats will be held in the first phase on April 19.

While the Moradabad seat was won by the SP last time, the saffron party bagged the Rampur seat in the byelection after Azam Khan was disqualified following a court order convicting him for more than two years in a kidnapping case.

Akhilesh Yadav had met Azam Khan in the Sitapur jail late last week.

The SP’s Rampur district president had, on the previous day, said in a statement that they wanted Akhilesh Yadav to contest from the constituency.

Rampur was a bastion of 75-year-old Azam Khan for the past over four decades. He had been elected MLA from here 10 times and had represented the seat in Parliament once.

(With inputs from PTI)