Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has made significant adjustments in her candidate selection strategy for the initial phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Contrary to previous approaches where she would typically nominate Muslim candidates in constituencies with a substantial Muslim population in western UP, she has now opted for candidates from non-Muslim communities.
The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh encompasses key constituencies such as Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bijnore, Kairana, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Saharanpur.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured victories in seven of these seats, conceding only Bijnore to the BSP, which had then formed an alliance with the SP.
Of note, six out of the eight constituencies scheduled for the first phase boast a significant Muslim presence. Historically, both the SP and BSP have fielded Muslim candidates in these areas during previous elections.
However, Mayawati has opted to nominate non-Muslim candidates from five of these constituencies, including Kairana, Baghpat, Bijnore, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar, while also considering the caste dynamics in each constituency.
Interestingly, apart from the Kairana constituency, the SP has also nominated non-Muslim candidates for the remaining four seats.
In Muzaffarnagar, where Muslims constitute around 30% of the electorate, the BSP has nominated Dara Singh Prajapati, an OBC candidate aiming to garner support from his community and the BSP's traditional Dalit base. Prajapati's potential support among OBCs could pose a challenge to BJP's Sanjeev Baliyan.
Similarly, in Bijnore, where Muslims make up approximately 40% of the electorate, the BSP has nominated Bijender Singh, a 'Jat'. With the RLD fielding Chandan Chauhan, a 'Gujjar', Singh is anticipated to secure a substantial number of Jat votes.
In Meerut, the BSP has nominated Deovrat Tyagi, a Brahmin, competing against BJP's Arun Govil. Tyagi is counting on the support of around 50,000 'Tyagi' voters in Meerut.
In Baghpat, where Muslims account for around 26% of the electorate, the BSP has nominated Praveen Bansal, a member of the 'Bania' community, which has traditionally supported the BJP.
Similarly, in Kairana, the BSP has nominated Shripal Singh Rana, belonging to the 'Thakur' community. Rana's ability to garner support from his community could impact BJP's prospects in the constituency.
