169 first-timers in UP House

Most had fought many elections earlier but couldnt make it

From an IIM professor to a lock manufacturer,from a former superintendent of police to a doctor,the sixteenth Assembly of Uttar Pradesh has some unusual legislators entering the House as first timers.

As many as 42 per cent of the newly elected MLAs at least 169 of the 403 MLAs are making their debut in the House. Of them,Samajwadi Party has as many as 86 of its 224 MLAs who will be entering the Assembly for the first time,followed by BSP with 34 of its 80 MLAs,Congress with 13 of its 28,and BJP with 20 of its 47 legislators.

Among the new faces,at least 50 are those who have tried their luck in various Assembly and parliamentary elections in the past but never succeeded. Six others had been members of parliament or state legislative council,but never fought or won the Assembly elections. Around 30 of them are relatives of veteran politicians.

The first-time MLAs are not necessarily young. Among them is 62-year-old Zafar Alam,owner of Link Locks,who won from Aligarh city on an SP ticket. A graduate in mechanical engineering,Alam worked as a lecturer in Aligarh Muslim University Polytechnic before starting his own lock manufacturing unit. He had fought the 2009 Lok Sabha election but lost.

Another surprise is 67-year-old Maikal Chandra,a retired IPS officer who had served in the CBI and also had a stint with the UN. He has won from Dhanaura reserved constituency on an SP ticket. After I retired,I had thought of leading a quiet life. In 2007,I met SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and he influenced me to join politics, says Chandra.

IIM professor Abhishek Mishra,who defeated BJP leader Lalji Tandons son Gopalji in Lucknow North,has been awarded with a ministerial berth. Son of an IAS officer,the 34-year-old completed his PhD in strategy and marketing from University of Cambridge.

The youngest legislator is Arun Kumar Verma. All of 25,he won from Sultanpur Sadar. Considered close to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav,Verma hails from a farming family. Having studied at Lucknow University,he was active in politics from his student days.

Veterans but new to Assembly

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Kalraj Mishra: One of the seniormost BJP leaders,Mishra for the first time plunged into direct electoral contest during this Assembly polls. He won from Lucknow East constituency.

Rita Bahuguna Joshi: The UP Congress chief had contested Parliamentary as well as Assembly elections,but lost on both occasions. She won from Lucknow Cantt this time.

Anupriya Patel: The general secretary of Apna Dal contested the Assembly election for the first time and won from Rohaniya

Jayant Chaudhary: The Mathura MP and son of RLD chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh won from Mant Assembly seat.

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Dr Mohammad Ayub: The president of the Peace Party fought and won his first assembly election from Khalilabad