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Sixth phase is all about Yogi, Akhilesh influence
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s development plank is pitted against SP chief Akhilesh yadav’s social justice card in the region
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s sway over his stronghold -- Gorakhpur region -- will be on test in the sixth phase of UP elections on Thursday.
Riding on Yogi’s charisma, BJP had bagged 47 of the 57 seats in this phase in 2017 assembly elections, paving the way for his emergence as a tall leader of the party in east UP. The performance of BJP in the region also strengthened his claim to chief ministership.
To convert the area into a BJP stronghold, Yogi has launched a slew of development projects in the region.
In the last three days, Yogi had been on whirlwind tour of the region, addressing over two dozen public meetings and holding road shows in the 10 districts that are going to polls on Thursday.
To bag maximum seats, BJP is again depending on the Yogi factor and he has been fielded from Gorakhpur Urban seat. The margin of his victory will be also taken in account while analysing his influence on his home turf. Also, BJP’s performance in this phase is crucial in its fight to retain power in UP.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s effort to regain his party’s support base in the area has been a focal point and this will be on trial, particularly, in Ballia, Deoria, Kushinagar, Basti and Maharajganj.
This region of east UP is also known as ‘janambhoomi’ and ‘karambhoomi’ of socialist ideologue Dr Ram Manohar Lohia.
To win support of the people, particularly OBCs, Akhilesh played the social justice card by invoking Lohia in public meetings. SP bagged just two seats in 2017 polls.
BSP chief Mayawati’s prestige will also be on trial in east UP, particularly in Ambedkar Nagar, famous as dalit laboratory of UP.
After rebellion of top party leaders Lalji Verma, Ramachal Rajbhar, Tribhuvan Dutt and Rakesh Pandey, she has mobilised the party cadre to defeat the rebels, who are now contesting on SP ticket.
Riding on social engineering formula, BSP had grabbed power in 2007. It has played the dalit-Brahmin card in the area that has large concentration of Brahmins. BSP had bagged four seats in the 2017.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra efforts to revive the party’s fortunes in UP will be on test, particularly in Maharajganj, Kushinagar and Basti. To counter the rebellion of influential party leaders RPN Singh and Jitin Prasada, Priyanka has addressed a series of public meetings in the area. Congress secured victory on one seat in 2017.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who launched Samajik Parivartan Morcha, an alliance of 35 small political parties, is working to carve out a place in UP politics. He is contesting against Yogi Adityanath from Gorakhpur urban seat. His party -- Azad Samaj Party -- is banking on support of Dalits.
Peace Party chief Dr Mohammad Ayub is working to regain the party’s ground in Muslim dominated areas of Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddharthanagar, Ambedkar Nagar and Balrampur with the support of the Bhagidari Parivartan Morcha, led by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, as well as Samajik Parivartan Morcha, led by Chandrashekhar Azad.
In 2012 assembly elections, Peace Party had surprised political observers by winning four seats even as SP wave swept the state.
The strength of alliance partners --- Nishad party, led by Dr Sanjay Nishad and Apna Dal (S), led by union minister Anupriya Patel, of BJP and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, led by former minister Om Prakash Rajbhar and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), led by Krishan Patel, of Samajwadi Party -- will also be on test in this phase that has a large number of OBC voters.
The SBSP had bagged one seat, Apna Dal (S) one seat and one seat was won by an independent candidate in 2017.
SP is also depending over the influence of BJP rebel and former minister Swami Prasad Maurya, who is contesting from Fazilanagar seat in Kushinagar district. Swami has influence over Kushwaha, Maurya, Shakya and Saini communities.
Political analyst Rajesh Singh, secretary of Motilal Nehru Trust, Lucknow said the sixth phase will be decisive because it will decide that among the main contenders – BJP and SP – who will form the next government in UP. “The sixth phase is a fight between Yogi Adityanath and Akhilesh Yadav,” he said.
To take on the ‘election machine’ of BJP, Akhilesh had launched an offensive campaign. He also countered the BJP campaign of freebies, with freebies. To win support of voters he highlighted problems being faced by people, including unemployment, price rise, stray cattle menace, delay in supply of fertiliser and subsidy to farmers, the political analyst said.
A school teacher in Gorakhpur government college, Suresh Kumar Verma said to win support of voters, Yogi played the Hindutva and Vikas cards. To send a message to voters that his government acted tough against Mafiosi and musclemen, Yogi made ‘bulldozer’ a catchword in his election campaign.
“The ball is in the voters’ court now. Which party has been able to convince them will be decided on Thursday,” Verma said.
