GB Nagar: BSP, SP focus on rural belts in campaigning, BJP strikes a balance

The GB Nagar seat has 2,675,148 registered voters — 782,872 in Noida, 729,481 in Dadri, 369,824 in Jewar, 399,091 in Sikandrabad and 393,880 in Khurja

With less than three weeks remaining for polling in the Gautam Budh Nagar parliamentary seat on April 26, all political parties have started hectic campaigning. While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates are focusing on rural areas in the first leg of campaigning, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has struck a balance and deployed teams in both villages and urban areas as to cover maximum voters before polling day.

While BSP and SP candidates are focusing on rural areas in the first leg of campaigning, the BJP has deployed teams in both villages and urban areas. (HT Photo)

The Gautam Budh Nagar Lok Sabha seat consists of 2,675,148 registered voters — 782,872 in Noida, 729,481 in Dadri, 369,824 in Jewar, 399,091 in Sikandrabad and 393,880 in Khurja, according to district election office. The three segments of Noida, Dadri and Jewar are located in Gautam Budh Nagar district while Sikandrabad and Khurja are in neighbouring Bulandshahr district.

BSP candidate Rajendra Solanki has enlisted the help of his writer daughter Minakshi Solanki in campaigning. “So far, our 10 teams have covered at least 150 villages of Sikandrabad and Khurja. We have attended a few events in Noida and Dadri as well. But we are yet to campaign in group housing societies of Noida and Greater Noida. We have decided to intensify our canvassing in urban areas and group housing complexes, where maximum voters reside, in the last leg of canvassing,” he said.

Solanki’s wife Sapna is managing his campaigning from their Bulandshahr home, and it is she who plans events and organises food and other necessities for party workers.

The BSP candidate has also requested BSP chief Mayawati to hold a rally in Gautam Budh Nagar to woo voters.

“The BSP chief will address a rally in Sikandrabad or Khurja -- the party is still finalising the venue -- soon,” said Solanki.

Samajwadi Party candidate Dr Mahendra Nagar and his supporters have also requested their party chief Akhilesh Yadav to visit Gautam Budh Nagar to garner support from the public. So far, Nagar is also focusing more on rural areas as compared to group housing societies.

“We have covered almost 70% of rural areas in Khurja and Sikandrabad. We have also formed dedicated teams to connect with voters in other areas, including Noida and Greater Noida. Each assembly area has been divided into zones to reach to as many voters as possible in the door-to-door campaigning. We will carry out door-to-door campaigning in group housing societies last so that we can understand their issues and convince them why they need to vote for us,” said Pradeep Bhati, national spokesperson, Samajwadi Party.

“Before polling day, we have a target to reach out to the maximum group housing societies because apartment owners’ issues remain unaddressed and they need attention. Also, we have already appointed booth workers for all 2,600 booths in this constituency,” said Bhati.

BJP’s incumbent MP from Gautam Budh Nagar, Dr Mahesh Sharma, has put his wife Dr Uma Sharma, his daughter Dr Pallavi Sharma, and brother Dr Naresh Sharma on the campaign trail in Noida’s urban areas.

Teams of party workers, led by Sharma’s family members, are covering all sectors, group housing societies and markets. BJP has deployed eight ‘mandal adhyaksh (local leaders)’ with teams for canvassing in Noida. They are going door-to-door and also addressing small gatherings in Noida’s urban areas from 5pm till 10am the next day. These timings were chosen as urban areas mostly comprise working professionals who return home only in the evening after work, said BJP workers.

“We have kept a balance between campaigning in rural and urban areas. We have already reached out to people in most group housing societies and villages. Now all our teams are revisiting voters to inform them about the work our party has done under the leadership Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We want to reach out to as many voters as possible before polling day,” said Manoj Gupta, BJP’s Noida City chief.