Walking around Farrukhabad on the banks of the Ganges – once part of the Panchala region and home to the magnificent ruins of Kampil and Sankisa – you’ll see A bunch of phrases (not in any particular order) that appear frequently in long essays: the way and trains, Mainpuri Expressway, lazy Mukesh Rajput (BJP) Congressman Ready for re-election), Lucky Shahja Khanpur, Zakir Hussain, potato industry, zardozzi factory.
The streets of this crowded city are narrow and impassable, and some of its bazaars seem stuck in the 1980s, with residents constantly complaining that they should have better roads, namely double lanes. railway network.And the UP one? highway They’ve been bypassed.
Referring to a ditty created by locals, they said: “Look at the avenues connecting centers like Mainpuri and Bareilly. Farrukhabad wale khaye ganna, highway le gaye Suresh Khanna. Translation: We can only chew sugarcane stalks , Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Khanna (9 times MLA from Shahjahanpur) Take the highway to get home.
People here know how effective connectivity can change a place’s destiny and fortune.
They will tell you about Karnt, how it was an early “major town” and Shahjahanpur was its seedy satellite, but was left behind after the British laid railway tracks near the latter.
“Have you seen roads as bad as this in Uttar Pradesh?” asked Mithilesh Kumar, a hotel owner in Pala. “We actually have a train to Delhi. Single line. There are limits to calling for votes in the name of Modi and Yogi. Our MPs have been asleep for ten years. Trader Anand Prakash Gup Tower agreed. “It’s scary. “
Farrukhabad goes to polls on May 13 and will witness the Rajputs of the BJP, Naval Kishore Shakia of the Samajwadi Party and Kranti Pandey of the Samajwadi Party in the ring a battle on. Rajput, who belongs to the Lodi community, a populous constituency, is gunning for his third victory. Another reason for interest among the Potato Belt voters is the absence of senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid or his relatives. For the first time in 40 years, no one from his family is attending the game.
Former foreign minister Khurshid became a member of parliament from here in 1991. Elected in 1984.
Dr. Ram Krishna Rajput, one of the most respected citizens of Farrukhabad, ran a law college and promised to give all the rich and rare collection of artefacts to UP , for a museum that may soon be built. That’s not enough, is it?
The 80-year-old academic, author of 60 books and winner of numerous awards added: “I don’t blame Mukesh Rajput alone. In the recent past, no one else has taken Farrukhabad seriously.” Put it in front of yourself. Look at our famous zardozi installations, our block printers. They all need attention. But where are the related industries? If people want to replace MPs, I have no objection. .
No discussion about Farrukhabad would be complete without mentioning the aloo mandi located in Satanpur, Asia’s largest. Sudhir Varma Rinku, president of Aloo Arhtiya Association, was happy and distraught. “I’ll explain why,” he said. “We got a windfall in the January-February season this year, with earnings ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,871 per quintal. This is a 25-year record. The demand is huge because Bihar, Bengal , Assam, Jharkhand want more. Usually, we can only make do with around Rs 600-700 per quintal.
Rinku continued. “Peasant families haven’t had so many weddings in many years. But none of our leaders take credit. Farrukhabad is neglected. We produce so much potato, but where are the factories that can utilize it?” There are over 100,000 people working in printing presses in Jaipur and elsewhere. Why are they leaving?
Some BJP workers admit that this round of fighting in Farrukhabad is more intense. “Our MPs have become lazy. They know that the polls will be held in the name of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. Also, Yogi (Adityanath) is here,” said a person from the party’s election office. “But the victory is ours. Who wants UP to return to an era of lawlessness?
‘Sympathy’ SP trader Hriday Kumar said, “Dr saheb (Shakya, cancer surgeon) is a “credible candidate”. But the Socialist Party must shed its image as a party of troublemakers. This is his challenge.
