BJP brainstorms over Mainpuri bypoll amid buzz about potential candidates
Senior BJP leaders held meetings in the state unit office on Friday to discuss potential candidates for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat
After the Samajwadi Party’s decision to field Dimple Yadav for the prestigious Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, the attention has shifted to the rival Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).
Senior BJP leaders held meetings in the state unit office on Friday to discuss potential candidates for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.
On Thursday, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav met BJP state unit president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary in the party office. Her visit set off speculation that the BJP may field her from Mainpuri seat. On Friday, she met senior BJP leaders in New Delhi.
Aparna Yadav had joined the BJP on January 19 just weeks before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly election held in February and March. She campaigned for the party candidates in various constituencies.
“To corner the SP in its stronghold, the party leadership is mulling over fielding Aparna from Mainpuri,” said a BJP leader.
“As the daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav, she is also a claimant to his legacy. She also enjoys the support of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav whose support will be crucial in deciding fate of the candidate,” he added.
The BJP has also focused on non-Yadav OBC candidates, particularly those from the Shakya community. They include two-time Etawah MP Raghuraj Singh Shakya, party MLA from Patiyali (Etah) Mamtesh Shakya and Prem Singh Shakya. All threee are in the race for the ticket.
Prem Singh Shakya had lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Mainpuri to Mulayam.
State BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and general secretary (organisation) Dharampal held a series of the meetings with the party leaders and office bearers from Mainpuri on Friday to collect feedback about the potential candidates.
The list of probable candidates will be sent to the BJP’s central leadership for approval.
