UP assembly elections key candidates: Yogi Adityanath, Keshav Maurya, Akhilesh Yadav and more

SUMMARY

With Uttar Pradesh just minutes away from knowing who will lead it for the next five years, here are key candidates to watch for in today's UP election results

By CNBCTV18.comMar 10, 2022 7:50:42 AM IST (Published)

Yogi Adityanath is the current Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He is the BJP candidate from Gorakhpur Urban. Adityanath, who was born Ajay Mohan Bisht, is also the chief priest or mahant of Gorakhnath Math. He was previously a Lok Sabha member and represented the Gorakhpur parliamentary constituency for five consecutive terms from 1998 to 2017. At the age of 26 years, he was the youngest member to be elected to the 12th Lok Sabha.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya is the BJP candidate from Sirathu. Formerly a Lok Sabha member from Phulpur, he was appointed party's chief of UP and played a crucial role in BJP's victory in 2017.

Aditi Singh, who is the BJP candidate from Rae Bareli, was among the handful of congress candidates to have won in the 2017 assembly elections. She joined BJP recently but her husband Angad Singh is still in Congress and MLA in Punjab from Nawanshahr.

Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav is contesting from Karhal. Akhilesh, who is the son of former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav became the youngest CM of the state back in 2012.

Controversial Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan is contesting from Rampur, a seat from where he has won nine times. Khan, who is currently languishing in jail, is seen as the strongest leader in the party after Akhilesh and Mulayam.

Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad is contesting against CM Yogi Adityanath from Gorakhpur Urban. The young leader has been seen as a Dalit icon and has been in forefront of anti-establishment protests across the Hindi belt.