The assembly segment has elected BJP MLA since 1991, barring 2012 when then Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi defeated Aparna Yadav, who had fought on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket.
The seat was hotly debated as speculation was rife that Aparna Yadav, who had recently joined the BJP, would contest from the high-profile constituency.
Besides, BJP MP from Allahabad, Rita Bahuguna Joshi was pitching for her son Mayank to contest from the constituency.
However, the saffron party took a decision in favour of state Law Minister Brajesh Pathak.
Lucknow Cantt seat will see voting in the fourth round of the ongoing polls on Wednesday along with seven other assembly constituencies of the state capital.
In the 2017 assembly polls, Pathak had successfully contested from Lucknow Central assembly constituency.
Opposition SP, BSP, Congress and AAP have fielded their strong candidates to turn the tables on the saffron party.
SP’s nominee is Surendra Singh Gandhi alias Raju Gandhi.
Some of the other candidates in the fray are — Dilpreet Singh Virk (Congress), Anil Pandey (BSP), Ajay Kumar (AAP) and Asheesh Saxena (JD(U)).
The Janata Dal (United), an ally of the BJP in neighbouring Bihar, is contesting the Uttra Pradesh polls separately.
In all, there are 11 candidates in the poll fray from the crucial assembly seat.
Pathak, who had also been a student leader, dismissed claims made by the opposition that he faced more competition this time as compared to 2017.
“Even if you ask Samajwadi Party, it will say that the BJP will win from Lucknow Cantonment. The opposition does not have even a remote chance to win the elections this time. Both the SP and BSP are way behind us,” he told PTI, exuding confidence of winning the seat with ease.
He also said that the victory margin on the seat as compared to the 2017 elections will also increase.
“People are excited about the elections, and I am confident that they will bless me,” the minister added.
Asked to rate his chances of winning, SP’s Surendra Singh Gandhi said, “I was a two-term corporator in the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (2007 to 2017). The experience which I got over the decade as a corporator will definitely help me to serve the people in a much better way.”
He also said that as a corporator, he enjoyed a direct rapport with the people, and has stood by them in their good and bad days.
“The transition from a corporator to a legislator will be a smooth one, and as a legislator, I will get more chances of serving the people,” the SP candidate said.
Congress nominee from the constituency, Dilpreet Singh Virk also expressed confidence about winning the seat, and said that his party will spring a surprise this time.
“There are over 3.86 lakh voters in Lucknow Cantt Assembly constituency. Though the people are not specifically taking any party’s name, but they are dropping enough hints of wanting a change, and that they will go with the Congress,” Virk told PTI.
He added that some of the major issues for the people of the constituency are adequate water supply in newer localities, which have come up in the past few years as they do not have an overhead water tank, and supply of clean drinking water.
Though she has not been given a ticket by the BJP this time, Aparna Yadav, younger daughter-in-law of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, campaigned vividly for the party nominee.
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