The BJP-led NDA had anticipated and the exit poll had predicted a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha election of 2024, but that was not the case. The BJP suffered the most in Uttar Pradesh, where it only won 33 seats out of a total of 62 in 2019, due to a more formidable opposition. In Uttar Pradesh, the INDIA bloc has won 43 of the 80 seats, with the Congress winning six and the SP winning 37. The elections also brought to light the surprising comeback of the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, led by Akhilesh Yadav, as a giant killer, and the resurgence of the main opposition Congress party under Rahul Gandhi.

A welcome departure from the stereotypical view of a politician is represented by the three Uttar Pradesh candidates of the Samajwadi Party, who won the Lok Sabha election and are under thirty years old. They have degrees from reputable universities, are well-educated, speak English fluently, and have novel perspectives on their role as new lawmakers. 

Here are the three newly elected Under 30 MPs of Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh:

Pushpendra Saroj: Pushpendra Saroj, 25, is one of the youngest Lok Sabha members. With degrees in accounting and management from Queen Mary University of London, he ran for Kaushambhi on a Samajwadi Party ticket and won by 1.03 lakh votes. He defeated Vinod Sonkar, a two-term BJP member of Parliament.

Inderjit Saroj, his father, is a member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

“I want to focus on the development of my constituency and will make a concerted effort not to become involved in local politics,” he stated after winning the election.

Iqra Hasan: Samajwadi Party candidate Iqra Hassan won the Kairana seat with a margin of 69,116 votes. The 27-year-old graduated from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies with a postgraduate degree in international law.

“Working for my constituency, especially women, who are still behind and lack proper educational facilities, will be my top priority,” she declared.

Priya Saroj: A 25-year-old lawyer for the Supreme Court, Saroj made a triumphant electoral debut on the SP ticket, garnering 35,850 votes to win the Machhlishahr seat. She is Tufani Saroj’s daughter, the former MP.