Son-love continues to blind politicians of different hues in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: Preach what you practice not. This is the message political parties have conveyed to common men and women through the lists of candidates for the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh announced so far. For, before the polls they were never tired of speaking against caste- ism and nepotism and when the elections neared, they conveniently forgot what they had been talking about in the past.

This is as true about the ruling Samajwadi Party as about others including the Bhartiya Janta Party. The two have vied with each other in selecting sons of senior leaders. Castes have also been a major consideration, despite Supreme Court's warning against use of caste and religion during the polls.

And it is not restricted to old party faithful. Sons of some turn-coats too have been obliged. It may be because they had been assured of tickets to them before they deserted the organisations they belonged to. Take Beni Prasad Verma's case for instance. He had re-joined the SP last year, was elected to the Rajya Sabha and this year his son, Rakesh Verma has been selected by the party for the assembly election. He is reported to be unhappy with the party over selection of seat and may join another party if his demand is not met.

Family members of chief minister and party head Akhilesh Yadav have not been different and set no example for others to follow. His uncle Shivpal Yadav has been given ticket for his son Aditya. Party's loud-mouth and Muslim face Azam Khan has been no exception. His son Abdullah too figures in the list.

However, if the ruling party has set example of Parivar-vad, so has the BJP which claims to be a party with a difference. Former state chief of the party and presently a member of the Union cabinet Rajnath Singh has been given ticket for his son Pankaj.

There are some others in the party whose wards have been preferred to other ticket-seekers. For instance son of Laljee Tandon, Ashutosh.

What is most shocking, none in these parties has said anything openly against this open display of nepotism. The ball is now in the voters' court. They can only teach them a lesson or two.