Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati is working on two-pronged strategy to ensure the transfer of BSP votes to alliance partner Samajwadi Party (SP) in the third phase Lok Sabha elections to be held in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 23.
To send a message to party supporters to vote for SP candidates, Mayawati is addressing a series of joint rallies with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. She has also directed the zonal coordinators, members of the bhaichara committees, booth committee members and district units to campaign in Dalit-dominated villages/localities to convince the BSP supporters to vote for SP candidates.
The third phase of elections will be held in the region which is the stronghold of the Samajwadi Party. Out of 20 Lok Sabha seats, the SP has been allotted nine -- Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Badaun, Sambhal, Rampur, Moradabad, Bareilly and Pilibhit. Even from Aonla, the lone seat allotted to the BSP in this phase, it has fielded former SP MLA Ruchi Vira.
The prestige of the Samajwadi Party is at stake in the third phase. Even when the Modi wave swept the state in 2014, the SP secured victory in Firozabad, Mainpuri and Badaun.
{{/usCountry}}The prestige of the Samajwadi Party is at stake in the third phase. Even when the Modi wave swept the state in 2014, the SP secured victory in Firozabad, Mainpuri and Badaun.
{{/usCountry}}The top leaders of the SP, including party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Azam Khan, Dharmendra Yadav, Akshaya Yadav, Devendra Singh Yadav, Shafiqur Rehman Barq, ST Hasan, Bhagwat Saran Gangwar and Hemraj Verma are in the fray.
A BSP leader, who did not wish to be named, said the rivalry between Dalits and Yadavs is well-known in the constituencies going to poll in the third phase.
He added that Mayawati was trying to neutralise the bitterness and motivating party supporters to vote for the SP.
“The BJP is focusing on Shakyas, Sainis, Kashyaps, Lodhs and backward communities, besides upper caste, to counter the alliance. In the previous election, BJP had secured victory on seven seats,” he said.
“The BSP has moved its campaign machinery in the Yadav-dominated region and joint meetings of office-bearers of both the parties were organised in rural and urban areas to ensure smooth transfer of votes,” the leader said.
Political observer RK Gautam said, “Addressing the joint meeting in Mainpuri on Friday, Mayawati projected Mulayam as the leader of backward community and termed Modi as a fake backward leader. Recalling the guest house incident, she said the party has taken a tough decision to go in for alliance for the interest of the country. She is trying to mellow down the anger among Dalits over the guest house incident. She is also projecting Mulayam and Akhilesh as the saviour of the weaker sections,” he added.