LUCKNOW: With a mixed population of 6.3 lakh, including defence veterans, Brahmins, Dalits, Sikhs and people from Uttarakhand, Lucknow Cantonment has been banking heavily on women power. Two women MLAs have represented the constituency for five terms since 1980 — Premvati Tiwari of Congress in 1980, 1985 and 1989 and Rita Bahuguna Joshi who won the constituency twice in 2012 (INC) and 2017 (BJP).
Congress has won the seat at least eight times. However, after economic liberalization and privatization, the seat remained with BJP till 2012.
Rita, then Congress candidate, won in 2012. She retained the seat in 2017 as a BJP candidate. In 2019, she successfully contested parliamentary election on a BJP ticket from Prayagraj, necessitating a bypoll which was won by Suresh Chandra Tiwari (BJP).
To continue its streak, BJP has fielded state law minister Brajesh Pathak (57), who had won his previous election from Lucknow Central with a margin of 5,000 votes.
The constituency spreads across Alambagh to Vidhan Sabha Marg and has many influential trader associations. Keeping this in view, Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress have given tickets to local businessmen.
SP has fielded Surendra Singh Gandhi (49), while BSP has named Brahmin businessman Anil Pandey (49). Congress has fielded Sikh businessman Dilpreet Singh Virk (36).
All of them are contesting for the first time.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Ajay Kumar (58), an engineer who has served Indian Navy.
Cantonment has 3.65 lakh registered voters and close to 15,000 voters belong to families of defence veterans.
Major issues faced by the people here range from heavy traffic jams to poor sewerage system and inadequate tap water supply. Cattle and monkey menace and overhead wires are other issues that need to be redressed.
