BSP banks on BJP turncoats to bolster its electoral prospects in UP

With the party having announced candidates for 68 out of the 80 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh thus far, the inclusion of BJP turncoat underscores BSP's concerted efforts to diversify its electoral base

In a strategic move ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has embraced a significant number of defectors from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), positioning them as key contenders in at least six constituencies across the state, giving a new twist to the electoral battle.

With the party having announced candidates for 68 out of the 80 parliamentary seats in Uttar Pradesh thus far, the inclusion of BJP turncoat underscores BSP's concerted efforts to diversify its electoral base.

“Mayawati’s decision to give tickets to leaders from BJP underscore BSP's strategy of tapping into erstwhile BJP vote bank to bolster its electoral prospects. Some of the BJP turncoats were in senior position in BJP and one of them was RSS functionary,” a political analyst Rajesh N Bajpai said.

In Mathura, BSP's nomination of Suresh Singh, a former BJP member with deep-rooted ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), signifies a calculated move aimed at garnering support from the Jat community.

BSP had earlier announced Kamal Kant Upamanyu but was replaced by Singh, whose candidacy is strategically aimed at challenging the incumbent BJP candidate, Hema Malini, known for her association as a 'Jat-bahu.' Given Mathura's significant Jat voter demographic, Singh's candidacy presents a formidable challenge to Malini's electoral stronghold.

BSP has replaced its candidates in Aligarh and Ghaziabad constituencies with defectors from the BJP, reflecting a broader trend within the party's electoral strategy.

Gufran Noor, formerly associated with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) was earlier named candidate from Aligarh by BSP but was later replaced by Hitendra Kumar alias Bunty Upadhya. Similarly in Ghaziabad BSP first announced young businessman Anshay Kalra as candidate but was replaced Nand Kishore Pundhir.

Both Upadhaya in Aligarh and Pundhir in Ghaziabad have defected from B.JP.

Notably, the BSP's candidate from the Scheduled Caste-reserved seat of Etawah, Sarika Singh Baghel is BJP turncoat who had joined the party last month and Chaudhary Vijendra Singh, BSP’s candidate in Bijnor is from RLD and switched sides.

Similarly, Sachchidanand Pandey in Faizabad and Shyam Kishore Awasthi in Dhaurahara had jined BJP early this year

Dayashankar Mishra, the party's candidate in Basti was a former BJP district president. Similarly, BSP's Gautam Budh Nagar candidate, Rajendra Singh Solanki had a long-standing association with the Congress since the time of the Emergency. He crossed over briefly to BJP in the past before he joined BSP over a month ago.

Mayawati's party hasn't only set its sights on the BJP but has also enticed candidates from rival parties such as the SP and Congress. In Sambhal, BSP's candidate, Shaulat Ali, had won assembly election from Moradabad Dehat in 1996 on SP ticket. He switched sides and joined Congress to contest 2012 assembly elections from Kundarki assembly seat and now he joined BSP.

In Etah, BSP has fielded former Congress leader Mohammad Irfan as its candidate. Similarly, BSP's candidate in Saharanpur, Majid Ali, had defected to Azad Samaj Party from BSP in 2021 but returned to BSP's fold just a few months ago.

In Aonla, BSP has nominated Abid Ali, who recently switched his allegiance from the Samajwadi Party to BSP after being denied a ticket by his former party.

“This trend of candidates switching parties underscores the dynamic nature of politics in Uttar Pradesh and the strategic maneuvering employed by parties ahead of the upcoming elections. This time BSP has scored an upper hand,” political analyst Bajpai said.

He said: As the electoral landscape in Uttar Pradesh continues to evolve, BSP's strategic embrace of BJP turncoats and individuals from other political backgrounds underscores the party's concerted efforts to position itself as a formidable contender in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.