AGRA: Springing a surprise, the BJP has fielded former SP leader and party’s Dalit MP from Agra, Satya Pal Singh Baghel, against former chief minister and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in "family bastion" Karhal, which votes in the third phase of the UP elections on February 20.
Baghel, who is presently the minister of state for law and justice at the centre, filed his nomination papers soon after Akhilesh completed the formality in the constituency, which comes under Mainpuri. “This war will be full of surprises,” said Baghel. "The first surprise in this war has been the announcement of my candidature and this will go in my favour." He added that though he was defeated by Akhilesh in Firozabad in 2009, it had created a fissure in the Yadav stronghold and he had won "people’s hearts". “We will surely win this seat,” claimed Baghel.
