Devesh Shakya: SP Leader Dented Sitting BJP MP's Hope For A Third Term In Etah (image: facebook.com/Devesh Shakya)

Devesh Shakya, the SP candidate from Etah, won the Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 28,052 votes.  As Shakya gathered 4,75,808 votes, his nearest rival, BJP candidate Rajveer Singh received 4,47,756 votes. Meanwhile, the BSP’s Mohammed Irfan Advocate relegated to the third position with 71,585 votes.

Veteran politician and the son of former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, Rajveer Singh was attempting for a hattrick victory in the Etah constituency. He is well known as “Raju Bhaiyya”. He contested 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha election from Etah constituency on BJP ticket and defeated Samajwadi Party (SP)’s Ku. Devendra Singh Yadav, both times.

Devesh Shakya is a younger brother of former Union Minister and Vidhuna MLA Vinay Shakya. Devesh is a tenacious candidate who have contested for zila panchayat member and district panchayat chairman elections over the course of years.

The Etah Lok Sabha constituency has been in existence since the first Lok Sabha elections held in the country in 1952. Etah, renowned as the birthplace of Sufi saint Amir Khusro, holds immense historical and political significance.

In the 2014 elections, Rajveer Singh won the election by receiving 4,74,978 votes while Ku Devendra Singh Yadav garnered 2,73,977 votes. In 2019 elections, the Etah constituency has witnessed a fierce competition between Ku Devendra Singh Yadav and Rajveer Singh. Rajveer Singh won the seat by securing 5,45,348 votes and Ku Devendra Singh Yadav received 4,22,678 votes.

(This story is part of a Timeline. internship project.)