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UP polls: Battle royale as rivals join hands in Gonda’s Colonelganj
The scenario in the UP polls here has become more interesting as, for the first time after 1984, the scions of two erstwhile princely states of Bargadi Kot and Bhabhuwa Kot have come together in Colonelganj, one of the seven assembly constituencies of Gonda. The two were arch-rivals once
Despite witnessing gradual transformation from a sleepy town to an emerging district with showrooms of multinational companies in its main city, the politics of Gonda has remained the same over the years and the UP polls this time are no different.
It continues to revolve around two erstwhile princely states and local strongman Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, the BJP MP from Kaiserganj. Gonda goes to polls in the fifth phase of the UP assembly election on Sunday.
The scenario in the UP polls here has become more interesting as, for the first time after 1984, the scions of two erstwhile princely states of Bargadi Kot and Bhabhuwa Kot have come together in Colonelganj, one of the seven assembly constituencies of Gonda. The two were arch-rivals once.
This change came after the BJP denied the ticket to its sitting MLA from Colonelganj, Ajay Pratap Singh ‘Lalla Bhaiya’ for the UP polls. He belongs to the erstwhile princely state of Bargadi Kot.
Instead, the BJP has fielded Ajay Kumar Singh, block pramukh of Paraspur block, who does not belong to any royal family and is considered close to Brij Bhushan Saran Singh.
Lalla Bhaiya has extended support to Samajwadi Party candidate Yogesh Pratap Singh, who belongs to the erstwhile princely state of Bhabhuwa Kot.
“The two princely states of Gonda have buried the hatchet in a bid to defeat the BJP candidate from Colonelganj,” says Anupam Shukla, a local advocate in Gonda.
The influence of this alliance between the two former princely states on other assembly constituencies of Gonda will be clear only after the election results are declared on March 10.
Over the years, the Colonelganj assembly constituency has been the fiefdom of Bargadi Kot and Bhabhuwa Kot.
Kaushlendra Singh, political observer and social activist of eastern Uttar Pradesh, says the two arch-rivals have come together to maintain their influence in Colonelganj and stop an outsider (BJP candidate) from winning the seat.
The royal factor is also being seen, albeit somewhat differently, in Gonda’s Mankapur constituency.
BJP MP from Gonda Kirti Vardhan Singh, who belongs to the formerly princely state of Mankapur, is spearheading the campaign of social welfare minister Ramapati Shastri, the party candidate from Mankapur.
“Victory in Mankapur depends on which side the (former) princely state is,” says Someshwar Singh, when asked about the prospects of candidates.
Another interesting battle is unfolding for the Gonda assembly seat, where Prateek Bhushan, son of Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, is facing a challenge from the Samajwadi Party’s Suraj Singh, nephew of the late Pandit Singh.
In 2017, Prateek Singh won his maiden election, polling 58,254 votes against Suraj Singh’s 41,477 votes.
Bahujan Samaj Party’s Mohammad Jaleel Khan got 46,576 votes. As Khan has passed away, his supporters, especially Muslims, in all likelihood, will vote for the Samajwadi Party.
This changed political scenario has made it tough for Brij Bhushan Saran Singh to guarantee the second consecutive victory for his son.
Agreeing to speak after much prodding, Rai Singh Prasad Upadhyay, who runs a sweetmeat shop at Maharaja Agrasen Chowk in the heart of Gonda city, says, “There must be change this time. Nothing has changed in the last five years.”
He is also all praise for the late Vinod Kumar Singh alias ‘Pandit Singh’.
Singh died last year in the second wave of Covid-19. He was known as the face of the Samajwadi Party in Gonda district.
“Anyone could easily approach him (Pandit Singh). He was available to help everyone and at any point of time,” Upadhyay says.
Muslims have a sizable presence in Gonda district. But they alone cannot impact elections like in the adjoining Bahraich and Balrampur districts.
In Katra Bazar assembly constituency, BJP rebel Vinod Shukla, who is now the BSP candidate, could play spoilsport for the ruling party.
Like elsewhere, in Gonda, too, there is a straight contest between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party.
The BJP had won all seven assembly seats in Gonda district in 2017 but repeating that performance will not be easy this time as the resurgent Samajwadi Party is giving a tough fight to the ruling party in all the constituencies.
