Rakesh Rathore For Sitapur: Seeking Political Fortunes In Congress (image: facebook.com/rakeshrathoreinc)

Congress declared Rakesh Rathore”s candidacy for Sitapur Lok Sabha constituency when former minister Nakul Dubey returned the ticket. Rakesh Rathore”s political career spans across different political parties. He started his political journey with BSP and in 2007, he contested unsuccessfully from Sitapur assembly segment, and he lost to SP candidate Radheshyam Jaiswal.

In 2013, Rakesh Rathore joined the BJP and in 2017 he contested again from Sitapur constituency and secured victory. He defeated Radheshyam Jaiswal by a margin of 24839 votes.

Failing to receive election ticket in 2022, he quit BJP and joined SP. However, SP did not give ticket to Rathore in 2022 assembly elections or in the following MLC elections. In the same year, he shifted allegiance to Congress. He was then made State General Secretary.

His statements against BJP has invited controversies. In this Lok Sabha elections, Rakesh Rathore is fielded against incumbent BJP MP Rajesh Verma.

Sitapur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh comprises five assembly segments, Sitapur, Laharpur, Biswan, Sevata, and Mahmoodabad. In the polls since 1991, Congress has not emerged winner in the seat. When the BJP secured victory four times, the BSP came winner three times, and SP for one. Though BJP emerged winner in the past two terms, i.e., 2014 and 2019, BSP holds significant influence in the constituency.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Rajesh Verma defeated his opponent, BSP’s Kaisar Jahan, by a margin of 51,027 votes. Similarly, in the 2019 General Elections, Rajesh Verma defeated BSP’s Nakul Dubey for 1,00,833 votes, doubled the margin of votes considering the previous elections, and retained the Sitapur seat. Will Rajesh Verma secure a hat-trick win or Rakesh Rathore wrest the seat for Congress? the coming days will tell.