- By Imran Zafar
- Wed, 05 Jun 2024 02:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Samajwadi Party candidate Iqra Hasan, a third-generation politician of the Hasan family, won the Kairana Lok Sabha seat with a margin of over one lakh votes. Iqra Hasan defeated BJP candidate Pradeep Kumar, who was a three-time MLA and outgoing MP. The 27-year-old woman managed to secure the Kairana parliamentary seat because of its grassroots politics and connection with the local population.
The long-standing influence of her family in Kairana also helped her to attract voters in the constituency. Iqra Hasan’s grandfather first won the election in 1984 on a Congress ticket, her father Munawwar Hasan won in 1996 on an Samajwadi Party ticket and her mother Tabassum Hasan became an MP in the 2009 and 2018 by-elections while Iqra began her political journey by contesting the Zila Panchayat elections in 2016.
Iqra Hasan also played a crucial role in her brother Nahid Hasan's 2017 assembly election victory. When Nahid Hasan was imprisoned during the 2022 assembly elections, she took command, demonstrating her political acumen and management skills, ultimately securing her brother's election as MLA.
In the recent election, Iqra faced BJP-RLD candidate Pradeep Chaudhary. Despite high-profile campaigns for Chaudhary, Iqra simultaneously adopted a solo strategy, campaigning on the ground independently in the constituency's urban and rural areas. Experts believe this 'walk alone' approach was key to her success.
Iqra's year-long election preparations involved connecting with people in their daily lives. Her new face and ground zero campaign tactics won over the electorate, earning votes from across the community. Her campaign was quiet yet effective, benefiting from her deep roots in the Kairana region.
Voter resentment towards the BJP-RLD candidate also played a role in Iqra's victory. She capitalised on this discontent, focusing her efforts on areas with strong opposition to her opponent. This strategic campaigning helped secure her win and solidify her position as a rising political force within the Samajwadi Party.