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District panchayat chief polls in UP reveal interesting alliances, tactical moves
These polls were held about eight months before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that are due early next year.
The zila panchayat chairpersons’ elections in Uttar Pradesh revealed interesting alliances and tactical moves. The results were declared on Saturday, the same day on which the elections were held. These polls were held about eight months before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that are due early next year.
In Jaunpur, BJP’s ally Apna Dal withdrew from the race in support of independent candidate Srikala Reddy, wife of former MP Dhananjay Singh, and she won the election. In Ghazipur, at one stage, it was reported that two members who had won on the backing of Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), tactically supported the BJP.
“AIMIM’s nexus with BJP now lies exposed,” said Congress’s Surendra Rajput. However, AIMIM state chief Shaukat Ali denied such reports. “This is completely untrue,” Ali said. Owaisi’s party is planning to contest 100 seats in 2022 UP assembly polls. In Amethi, the BJP won against the SP even as the Congress failed to even put up a candidate here.
In Pratapgarh, former minister and local heavyweight Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiya’s candidate Madhuri Patel won as a nominee of the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik). After the win, Singh said, “Ruling party candidates usually want good law and order. But, today their workers created ruckus.” He thanked Congress veteran Pramod Tiwari and his daughter Aradhana Misra ‘Mona’, a Congress MLA, for the win.
Asked if his Jansatta Dal would ally with Congress in 2022, he said in Pratapgarh, “After a long time, our relations have improved and they would stay that way. But that’s on a personal level. As for a formal alliance, wait and watch.” UP minister Rajendra Pratap Singh reportedly had a heated exchange of words with Pappan Singh, husband of BJP candidate Shama Singh, who alleged lack of party support in Pratapgarh.
Meanwhile, deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, ministers and lawmakers hailed the win. “Say it with heart, BJP once again in 2022,” Maurya said. UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh also credited the win to the policies of the Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi government in the state.“I must also congratulate party cadre who worked very hard,” he added. BJP general secretary JPS Rathore was the coordinator for these polls.
How BJP fared in each region
For organisational purposes, the BJP demarcated the state into six regions. In the paschim or west region with 14 districts, BJP won 13 seats and RLD one. In the Braj region with 12 districts, BJP won 11 seats and the SP bagged Etah. In the Kanpur region with 14 districts, including several SP bastions, the BJP won 12, besides the victory of a BJP-supported candidate while the SP won Etawah. In the Awadh region with 13 districts, the BJP had a clean sweep. In the Kashi region with 12 districts, the BJP won nine along with a party supported candidate. An independent bagged Jaunpur, which BJP and its ally Apna Dal didn’t contest. Former minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiya’s Jansatta Dal opened its account in Pratapgarh. In Gorakhpur region with 10 districts, BJP won seven seats while the SP bagged Sant Kabir Nagar, Azamgarh and Ballia.
