Backed by Muslims, BJP’s Dhirendra Singh defeats three-time BSP MLA in Jewar

What is also interesting in Thakur Dhirendra Singh’s victory is that he received an overwhelming support from the Muslim voters who form the core voter base.

Riding on the unprecedented Modi wave, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Jewar, Thakur Dhirendra Singh registered his maiden victory in the Uttar Pradesh state assembly polls by defeating former MLA Vedram Bhati of Bahujan Samaj Party with 22,173 votes.

This is the first time that Dhirendra Singh (centre), a veteran leader from Jewar constituency, has managed to secure a win in the assembly elections.(Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Singh received a total of 1,02,979 votes, compared to 80,806 votes of Bhati and 13,239 votes of Narender Nagar of Samajwadi Party.

This is the first time that Singh, a veteran leader from Jewar constituency, has managed to secure a win in the assembly elections by defeating a three-time MLA and former UP Cabinet minister.

Thanking the people of Jewar and his party workers, Singh said, “The people of UP have voted in the national interest after being fed up by nepotism and family politics of SP. They have chosen a leader who will stay with them and work for their welfare.”

Dhirendra Singh, who hails from the Rajput community, enjoys the support of upper castes Hindus and Muslims whereas Bhati is a favourite of Gujjar community. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Singh was a veteran Congress leader for the past 30 years and he recently switched to the BJP after being denied a ticket in the assembly polls.

He rose to prominence during the farmer agitation in Bhatta Parsaul villages in 2010 when he ferried Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to the villages on his motorbike. In the previous polls he contested, Thakur had lost to Bhati with a margin of 9,000 votes.

Singh, who hails from the Rajput community, enjoys the support of upper castes Hindus and Muslims whereas Bhati is a favourite of Gujjar community.

It was a closely fought contest between Singh and Bhati in the morning hours as the former maintained a meagre but steady lead throughout the counting process.

Till 10 am, Singh was ahead of Bhati with 1260 votes. By 11 pm, Bhati took the lead with a difference of 2,629 votes. However, as time progressed, so did the vote share of Singh over Bhati.

What is also interesting in Singh’s victory is that he received an overwhelming support from the Muslim voters who form the core voter base.

Despite joining BJP, Singh’s vote bank remained undeterred and it was visible during his rallies in the last one month.

Singh, now intends to focus on the issues of the people of Jewar.

“I had promised during my rallies that I will construct an airport in my constituency and I will keep my promise. I will also make efforts to open a degree college for women. In the absence of a women’s college in our vicinity, our daughters and sisters have to travel far and wide to get an education,” Singh said.