Carrying forward family legacy, SP’s Kairana candidate Iqra Hasan looks to bridge ‘communal gap’

Iqra’s family has been in politics for over 40 years. Her grandfather Akhtar Hasan was elected as MP in 1984 from Kairana on a Congress ticket. He defeated Mayawati, who was then contesting for the first time in the Lok Sabha elections. Later, her father Munawwar Hasan carried on the family’s political legacy and was elected an MP in 1996 on a Samajwadi Party ticket. He died in a road accident in 2008.

After Munawwar’s death, his wife Tabassum Hasan won the Kairana LS seat on a BSP ticket in 2009. She won again in 2018 bypoll conducted after BJP MP Hukum Singh’s death.

Iqra’s elder brother Nahid Hasan is a three-time MLA. He won the last election in 2022 while contesting from jail. His arrest under the Gangster Act became a turning point in Iqra’s life and she was the one who ensured her brother’s victory in the polls.

She completed her school education from Queen Mary’s School in New Delhi, graduated from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women and did postgraduation in international politics and law from SOAS University in London. Iqra has declared in her election affidavit that she is a farmer. In her rallies, she says she is fighting to uphold the “legacy of service”.

She says after her father’s death, there was a change in politics, with communal issues taking the centre stage. “But in this polls, we have worked to bridge that gap. This is my first Lok Sabha election. I am grateful for the respect and love I received from 36 biradaris (castes). Iqra means taalim (education). Education is very important to keep harmony in society,” she says.

“This election will decide the condition and direction of the country. We have seen the 10-year tenure of BJP’s double-engine government. What they did is in front of everyone,” she says.

“There is something charismatic about this girl (Iqra), exactly like her father,” says Mukesh Rana.

“Munawwar ki rajneeti Jaton se hi chalti thi, Musalmaan toh bas vote karte the (Muslims used to vote for Munawwar but the foundation of his politics were Jats),” says Rana, adding that the BJP-RLD alliance will be defeated as many Jats are angry with RLD president Jayant Chaudhary for suddenly crossing over to the other side.

“Marhoom Munawwar Hasan ki laadli beti chunaav maidan me hai (Daughter of late Munawwar Hasan is in the poll fray this time),” a loudspeaker mounted on a mini-truck plays on loop as a caravan of vehicles passes through villages of Jalalabad, Thana Bhawan, Kairana and Shamli on Wednesday, as campaigning comes to a close at 5 pm. Iqra sits on top of the first vehicle, waving at the crowds.

Vishwas Deswal, a 25-year-old voter, describes Iqra as yuva, shikshit, bebaak aur bedaag (young, educated, fearless and spotless). “This time people are going beyond religion to vote,” he says.

“I will not say that BJP will not come back to power, but they will definitely get a shock. Unemployment is bridging the gap between Hindus and Muslims. If they (BJP) are so confident that the number will cross 400, why are they taking in Congressmen?” says Deshwal.

Iqra is contesting against BJP’s sitting MP Pradeep Chaudhary and BSP’s Shripal Rana. In the last election, Chaudhary defeated Iqra’s mother Tabassum by over 92,000 votes.

Kairana LS constituency comprises five Assembly seats – Nakur, Gangoh (both in Saharanpur) and Kairana, Thana Bhawan and Shamli (all three in Shamli district). In the last Assembly polls, the BJP and the RLD won two seats each, while the fifth went to the SP.