UP Polls: BJP trying to mitigate resentment against its sitting MLA

Despite being just 17 km from Lucknow city centre, the constituency lags in road connectivity. Resentment against sitting MLA Avinash Trivedi forced BJP to change its candidate and field Yogesh Shukla

In this semi-urban assembly constituency, situated around 17 km from Lucknow’s city centre, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a direct fight with the Samajwadi Party, with both the candidates having local connect and good rapport with constituents.

BJP candidate Yogesh Shukla (HT PHOTO)

Yogesh Shukla of the BJP is in direct contest with the Samajwadi Party’s politically die-hard candidate Gomti Yadav. Both are household names in Bakshi Ka Talab assembly constituency where road connectivity and power supply are the core issues.

BJP has replaced its sitting MLA Avinash Trivedi due to local opposition and widespread resentment against him and Shukla is battling this local resentment against the sitting BJP MLA.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which came second in the 2017 assembly poll, looks like is not in a position to retain its second position this time.

On Friday afternoon, at the roadside tea stall near Bakshi Ka Talab tehsil, a group of people are engaged in heated political discussion. The group is disenchanted with the performance of sitting BJP MLA Avinash Trivedi, who has been replaced by Yogesh Shukla.

Sitting next to Mahur, Abhay Srivastava agrees. “He (Avinash Trivedi) could have done everything for Bakshi Ka Talab as he was an MLA of the ruling party. But he wasted an opportunity (of being an MLA),” said Srivastava.

Saral Yadav, sitting on the opposite bench, tries to remind them about development projects executed by former Samajwadi Party MLA Gomti Yadav. Gomti Yadav was Samajwadi Party MLA in 2012 and has a good rapport with locals.

“Here, BJP is in a direct fight with the Samajwadi Party. BJP candidate has to mitigate resentment against its sitting MLA. But he also has the advantage of being a resident of Paharpur village,” said Ambika Singh.

Yadav is a predominant community in Bakshi Ka Talab assembly constituency. BSP’s Salauddin Siddiqui is banking on his party’s cadre vote and Muslim constituents of the assembly, while Congress’s Lallan Kumar is seeking votes by promising overall change in the constituency.

Kumar is pointing out to the voters that both BJP and Samajwadi Party have failed to address local issues even though their parties were in power in the state. This semi-urban constituency has three large urban pockets, including Indira Nagar, Jankipuram, Gudamba and some parts of Gomti Nagar extension.

These areas are generally considered to be a stronghold of the BJP. Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate from this constituency Satya Prakash Pandey’s nomination papers was rejected.