ADR report reveals that they account for 42% of public representatives

Women have become an integral part of Uttar Pradesh politics. They account for 58% of the Members of Parliament (MP), Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and Members of Legislative Council (MLA). Interestingly, 42% have come from political dynasties.

These facts have been spelled out in an analysis of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW).

The ADR analysed the family history of 5,203 current members of the state legislative assemblies, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils and found that 1,106 (21%) of them coming from political families.

On the contrary, 855 (18%) out of 4,664 male MPs, MLAs and MLCs belong to political families.

Meanwhile, 251 (47%) of 539 current female MPs, MLAs and MLCs are carrying forward their family legacy. Women are almost twice as likely as men to be nepotistic.

A similar situation exists in Uttar Pradesh as well where 29 out of 69 or 42% current women representatives are in power because of their family ties. These include five MPs, 21 MLAs, 1 Rajya Sabha member and three MLCs. Nine out of 31 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) women MLAs, one MP and one MLC along with 10 out of 15 Samajwadi Party (SP) MLAs, three out of five MPs and one Rajya Sabha member belong to political families. Meanwhile, one MP, one MLA and one independent MLC from Apna Dal (S) are in politics due to their family ties.

The ADR report says that SP ranks the highest in dynasty politics in the state. Akhilesh Yadav, husband of Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav, served as the Chief Minister from 2012 to 2017. He has also been an MP from 2000 to 2012, 2019 to 2022 and also in the present Lok Sabha. He also as an MLC from 2012 to 2018.

Meanwhile, Dimple Yadav's father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on three occasions, was Defence Minister and an MP from 1996 to 2022.

Similarly, Chaudhary Munawwar Hasan, father of young MP Iqra Hasan, has had a deep political presence. Munawwar Hasan served as an MLA from 1991 to 1996, a Lok Sabha MP from 1996 to 1998 and 2004 to 2008 besides a Rajya Sabha member from 1998 to 2003.

Similarly, Machhalishahar MP Priya Saroj's father, Tufani, is currently an MLA and has served as an MP twice.

Meanwhile, SP Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan's husband, actor Amitabh Bachchan, was elected as a Congress MP from Allahabad in 1984.

The ADR report further says that Dharmendra, the husband of actress Hema Malini who is the BJP MP from Mathura and Sunny Deol, her stepson, have been public representatives.

Dharmendra served as a BJP MP from Bikaner in Rajasthan, from 2004 to 2009. Sunny Deol served as Gurdaspur MP from 2019 to 2024.

Meanwhile, Anupriya Patel, the head Apna Dal (Sonelal) which is a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and an MP is the wife of Ashish Patel who is a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government.

On the other hand, BJP MLC Pragya Tripathi's father, Ravindranath Tripathi, served as a BJP MLA from Bhadohi from 2017 to 2022. Independent MLC Annapurna Singh's husband, Brijesh Kumar Singh (Arun), served as an independent MLC from Varanasi from 2016 to 2022. Her brother-in-law, Uday Nath (Chulbul Singh), was an MLC in 1998. Her nephew Sushil Singh currently serves as a BJP MLA from Saidaraja.

Talking further about the BJP women leaders, the report mentions that Anil Shukla Warsi who is the husband of Akbarpur MLA Pratibha Shukla, has been an MP.

Suchismita Maurya who was elected MLA from Majhawan in the by-election is the daughter-in-law of Ram Chandra Maurya who was a BJP MLA from the seat.

Bah MLA Rani Pakshalika Singh’s husband Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh served as a six-time MLA from the constituency and was also a minister. Her father-in-law, late Raja Mahendra Ripudaman Singh was also a four-time MLA from Bah.

Shahabad MLA Rajni Tiwari is the wife of former Bilgram MLA late Upendra Tiwari Chhibramau MLA Archana Pandey’s father late Ram Prakash Tripathi was a former MP and four-time MLA.

Similarly, Kalyanpur MLA Neelima Katiyar is the daughter of senior BJP leader Prem Lata Katiyar who was five-time MLA from the seat besides being a cabinet minister on three occasions.

Kaushal Kishore, husband of Malihabad MLA Jai Devi, has been a former state minister and MP.

Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh’s father Akhilesh Kumar Singh was also an MLA from the seat.

The situation is pretty much the same with SP. Party leader and Amethi MLA Maharaji Prajapati is the daughter of Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, former cabinet minister from 2012 to 2016.

Matera MLA Mariya Ali Shah is the daughter of former SP MLA and state minister Arif Ali. Her father-in-law Dr. Waqar Ahmed Shah is also a multi-term MLA and a former cabinet minister. Her mother-in-law Rubab Saida was Bahraich MP from 2004 to 2009 and former district panchayat president.

Meanwhile, Asmauli MLA Pinky Singh’s grandfather Vishanlal Yadav was an MLA and minister in 1967 and 1969. Her father Brijendra Pal Singh Yadav has also been an MLA, MP and minister.

Sisamau MLA Naseem Solanki’s husband Irfan Solanki has been elected MLA thrice and Hussainganj MLA Usha Maurya’s husband Munnalal Maurya was a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA from Khaga and a minister of state in UP.

Machhlishahr MLA Dr. Ragini Sonkar 's father Kailash Nath Sonkar was the former MLA of Ajgara.

In the same league, Patiali MLA Nadira Sultan’s father, the late Mushir Ahmed Khan was a two-time MP from Etah and Kasganj. Her uncle, Mohammad Zameer Khan was an MLA. Even her maternal uncle Ahmed Loot Khan was a minister in Uttar Pradesh.

Chail MLA Pooja Pal is married to former BSP MLA from Allahabad (West) Raju Pal.

Pratappur MLA Vijima Yadav’s husband Jawahar Yadav was a two-time MLA from Jhunsi.

Meanwhile, Chanbe MLA Rinki Kol of Apna Dal (Sonilal) is the wife of Rahul Prakash Kol who has been a two-time MLA. Her father-in-law Pakodi Lal Kol was a Lok Sabha MP from Robertsganj.

Similarly, Aradhana Mishra Mona, the Congress MLA from Rampur Khas is the daughter of Pramod Tiwari, a senior Congress leader who served nine consecutive terms (1980-2012) from Rampur Khas. He became a Rajya Sabha member in 2013.