E-Paper
Lok Sabha elections 2019: SP-BSP alliance looks to poll arithmetic to trounce BJP in Agra
Jatavs constitute major share of the Dalit population residing in Agra, and remain loyal to the BSP. Now, Muslim voters in combination with loyal Jatav voters may prove to be a game-changer for the alliance.
Despite being termed as a Dalit capital, the seat reserved for Scheduled Caste has never gone to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), whose chief Mayawati has stitched a formidable alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). In 2009, BSP lost the seat to the BJP by only 9,715 votes.
Jatavs constitute major share of the Dalit population residing here, and remain loyal to the BSP. Now, Muslim voters in combination with loyal Jatav voters may prove to be a game-changer for the alliance.
The BSP’s Manoj Soni is the alliance candidate. Preeta Harit, resigned from the Income Tax department last month — she was a Principal Commissioner —to contest as the Congress candidate.
The party is banking on the Agra connect of Raj Babbar who is contesting from neighbouring seat of Fatehpur Sikri. The BJP fielded SP Singh Baghel, a former SP leader who joined the BJP and became a member of the state assembly in 2017.
“I am sure of my victory. The charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, popularity of NDA governemnt’s welfare schemes and the hard work done by our booth-level will surely work in our favour,” Baghel said.
The BJP has won this seat in the last two general elections, and is keen to score a hat trick. Among the main issues at stake here are the Yamuna barrage, an international airport, a long-promised High Court bench, and pollution.
“The low voting percentage reflects the failure of the government’s initiatives to increase polling. With rise in literacy and awareness, polling percentage should have gone up. I am sure of my success, ” Harit said.
