INDIA bloc’s Ujjawal Raman Singh pins hope on legacy and alliance

Ujjwal Raman Singh, the face of INDIA bloc in the prestigious Allahabad seat, is riding high on legacy and confidence to defeat the BJP. Singh, who switched over to the Congress from the Samajwadi Party, recently is getting full support from his former party too.“Dual legacy factors can work in Singh’s favour. One, he has the support of voters who voted for his father Kunwar Reoti Raman Singh (two-time MP from Allahabad). Two, Congress voters in Prayagraj are also expected to vote for him. If he plans his campaign well, he can pose a stiff challenge to BJP pick Neeraj Tripath (son of former UP Assembly Speaker Keshari Nath Tripathi),” said Prof Sushil Pandey, political commentator and faculty at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow.Data shows that SP has secured an average of 31% of the total votes polled on the seat in the past five Lok Sabha elections while Congress has polled 9.7% of the total votes on the seat.“Together, this translates into about 40% of the votes for INDIA bloc which will make Allahabad seat a hurdle in BJP’s plan of clean sweep in 80 parliamentary seats in UP,” said local Congress functionaries.Congress is also highlighting the seat’s association with former PMs Jawahar Lal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri besides other veterans like PN Tandon. Another factor giving boost to Singh’s prospects is the presence of both SP and Congress workers in the campaigning.“SP has a reasonable base in Prayagraj and most of them wanted me to contest from here. Had the seat not gone to the Congress, we all would have put in all efforts for the party. My decision to join the Congress was also a conscious decision with the leaderships of both the sides on board. So, there is no question of any conflict of interest,” Ujjwal Raman Singh told TOI.On the issue of having the edge because of the dual legacy, he said: “Legacy of good deeds and positive connection is surely a blessing but that alone will not suffice. My main driving force is the self respect of Allahabad which has been severed blow by blow by the double engine govt. Many local issues that demand immediate attention have been overlooked amid the Modi-Yogi branding and propaganda.”Analysts said that INDIA bloc’s canvassing among rural voters, particularly the scheduled castes, will be crucial.“Four out of five assembly segments in Allahabad seat are rural areas dominated by SCc. The bloc must work well with the reserved category communities to stay relevant,” they said.