In a strategic maneuver targeting the electoral stronghold of Akhilesh Yadav's cycle, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) under the leadership of Mayawati unveiled its list of candidates, prominently featuring seven Muslim nominees out of the total 16 declared on Sunday.
The BSP's selection of Muslim candidates for key constituencies such as Saharanpur, Moradabad, Rampur, Sambhal, Amroha, Aonla, and Pilibhit is seen as a calculated move to bolster its electoral prospects and counter the Samajwadi Party's influence in these regions.
However, the party's decision to prioritise Muslim candidates on seven seats has sparked debate and raised concerns, particularly regarding the absence of any female candidates in the lineup, drawing criticism from various quarters.
The BSP's candidate list also includes nominees for three reserved seats, with the majority of candidates having been previously announced by the party's zonal coordinators, indicating a systematic approach to candidate selection.
This announcement from the BSP comes in the wake of the Congress party's release of its candidate list, setting the stage for a multi-cornered electoral contest in the upcoming polls.
Among the notable nominations, Majid Ali has secured the BSP ticket for Saharanpur, while Shripal Singh and Dara Singh Prajapati will contest from Kairana and Muzaffarnagar respectively. Other key candidates include Vijendra Singh (Bijnaur), Surendra Pal Singh (Nagina, SC), and Mohammad Irfan Saifi (Moradabad).
In Rampur, Zeeshan Khan emerges as the BSP's candidate, while Shaulat Ali (Sambhal), Mujahid Hussain (Amroha), and Devvratt Tyagi (Meerut) join the fray. Additionally, Praveen Bansal is slated to contest from Baghpat, Rajendra Singh Solanki from Gautam Buddh Nagar, Girish Chandra Jatav from Bulandshahr (SC), Abid Ali from Aonla, Anis Ahmad Khan from Pilibhit, and Dodaram Verma from Shahjahanpur (SC).
Earlier this year, BSP supremo Mayawati reaffirmed the party's decision to refrain from entering into any electoral alliances, reiterating its commitment to contesting the forthcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls independently.
"I want to clarify that our party (BSP) will go solo in the upcoming (2024) Lok Sabha polls," she declared, underlining the party's self-reliant electoral strategy.
