Lucknow: As the electoral fray intensifies with the onset of the first phase of the Lok Sabha election, attention is drawn towards the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh. Here, a confluence of factors alongside emerging political dynamics, are anticipated to influence the electoral outcome, reported Hindustan Times.
The commencement of the nomination process was marked by the issuance of notification on Wednesday. The initial phase, scheduled for April 19, will witness voting in eight constituencies namely Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit.
In this electoral phase, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) faces a litmus test in garnering Jat support through its new alliance with the BJP. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress aim to capitalize on minority sentiments in constituencies dominated by Muslims.
This election holds significance as it marks the first electoral cycle following the posthumous conferral of Bharat Ratna upon former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, who is the grandfather of RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary. In Bijnor, the RLD has nominated Chandan Chauhan as its candidate.
In a bid to strengthen their foothold in the region, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have intensified their campaigning efforts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Bulandshahr on January 25, three days post the “Pran Pratishtha” ceremony of Ram Lalla at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Subsequently, he visited the region again for the foundation stone laying ceremony of “Kalki Dham” in Sambhal on February 19.
In the preceding 2019 elections, the SP-BSP-RLD coalition posed a formidable challenge to the BJP on these seats. Despite the Modi wave, the BJP managed to secure victory in only three out of eight seats — Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, and Pilibhit. The BSP clinched victories in Saharanpur, Nagina, and Bijnor, while the SP emerged victorious in Moradabad and Rampur.
Subsequently, in June 2022, BJP candidate Ghanshyam Lodhi secured victory in the Rampur Lok Sabha by-poll following the vacation of the seat by SP leader Azam Khan upon his election to the state assembly.
