London-Educated 'Kairana Ki Beti' Challenges BJP in Western UP Seat

Kairana Ki Beti Challenges BJP in Western UP Seat: Kairana in Western Uttar Pradesh has been a prominent seat with two prominent families slugging it out. The Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 and claims of Hindu exodus have added another layer of complexity.

The first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha election will take place in Kairana, one of the eight seats in the region.

Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Iqra Hasan is facing BJP candidate Pradeep Chaudhary.

Alumna of the London School of Oriental and African Studies, Iqra Hasan entered politics after her mother and brother were arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police.

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A political vendetta by the UP government led to Nahid's arrest in the 2021 assembly elections, which led to his victory over Hukum Singh's daughter.

A branch of the Gujjar family converted to Islam, resulting in enmity between the Hasans and Singhs in the Kairana election story. During the 1990s, Hukum Singh, a BJP candidate, ran against Chaudhary Munawwar Hasan, a Samajwadi Party candidate. A son of Munawwar Hasan, Nahid Hasan, ran against Mriganka Singh, her daughter.

In the Kairana battle, Naheed's sister, Iqra Hasan, is leading the charge, but no candidate from Hukum Singh's family is running.

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Iqra Hasan is running against Pradeep Chaudhary in this Lok Sabha election.

As part of the upcoming elections, the Indian National Congress (BJP) and State Polling Commission (SP) will contest the Kairana seat together. Iqra Hasan will challenge incumbent MP Pradeep Chaudhary.

Western Uttar Pradesh, a state with resentment towards the ruling BJP, might be Iqra Hasan's trump card in the Kairana election, given her secular outlook and presence among the Jats and Gujjars.

She counters the BJP's polarization by focusing on economic freedom for women and highlighting communal issues. London-educated Iqra Hasan stands out for her advocacy of economic freedom for women.

Several biradaris and 40% of Kairana Muslim voters support Hasan over BSP candidate Shripal Rana. Hasan may not achieve her desired outcome in a male-dominated seat with support from the backward classes and Dalits.

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