While releasing the list of candidates for the assembly election, the BSP has modified the social engineering formula the party tried successfully in 2007.

From laying stress on an upper caste-Dalit combination, the BSP has tilted in favour of the Dalit-Muslim-OBC card to regain power.

Chief minister and BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday released the list of party candidates for all the 403 vidhan sabha seats.

“I have given the ticket to candidates with a clean image and those committed to the ideology of the party,” she said.

To fend off the anti-incumbency factor, the BSP has denied the ticket to 110 sitting MLAs including ministers.

National general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui said, “Ticket has been given on the basis of the winnability factor.”

For birthday, Maya wants victory as gift

In 2007, the BSP had fielded 86 Brahmin and 38 Rajput candidates. This time 74 Brahmins and 33 Rajputs have been given the ticket.

Muslims have been given the lion’s share. As compared to 61 tickets in 2007, the party has now nominated 85 candidates from this community. The share of the OBC candidates has increased from 110 in 2007 to 113 in this election. Surprisingly, the numbers of Dalit candidates has come down from 93 to 88.

A BSP leader said, “In 2007 the number of assembly seats reserved for the scheduled castes was 89 against 85 seats this time.”

Mayawati said: “In the 2007 assembly election turncoats from other parties with a criminal background managed to get the BSP ticket. Rather than working for the development of the masses these candidates focused on self-development. The image of the party was dented and these candidates have been shown the door before the poll.”

Relatives of ministers and MLAs have been accommodated. The son and daughter of BSP state unit president Swami Prasad Maurya have been given the ticket. Shikha Mishra, wife of former health minister Anant Kumar Mishra, will contest from the Maharajpur assembly seat; Namrata Pathak, wife of BSP MP Brijesh Pathak, has been fielded from the Unnao seat; Sanjay Rajbhar, son of transport minister Ramachal Rajbhar, has been fielded from Akbarpur seat.