Moradabad: In the home of biryani, BJP and SP battle it out

The focus of the Moradabad local unit meetings of the Bharatiya Janata Party is getting people to the polls on election day. The BJP has decided to reverse its previous policy after the “mistake” it made in the Lok Sabha elections by encouraging supporters of the party to cast ballots.

“The last time, we didn’t put much effort into it since we believed we were winning. Despite a powerful Modi wave that swept the nation, the BJP lost this seat. The focus of every meeting is on ensuring that every voter shows up to the polls on April 19 and casts a ballot, according to Sudhanshu Agrawal, the convener of the BJP’s Moradabad Dehat unit.

Prominent district zamindar Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh, who is the BJP’s fourth nominee, is up for the seat, while Samajwadi Party candidate Ruchi Veera, a former MLA from Bijnor, is favored over incumbent Dr. ST Hasan. Veera is a member of the powerful Bijnor family, which is involved in the administration of Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as well as educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh. Reportedly a close confidante of Rampur Azam Khan, a prominent member of the party, she secured the nomination at the last minute. Irfan Saifi, the chairman of Thakurdwara Nagar Palika, has been fielded by the BSP.

The word is out to support and cast a vote for Modi. We cannot afford to make the same mistake again,” said Agrawal, who lives in the ancient city neighborhood of Mandi Bans, near Hasan’s house and nursing facility.

Hasan ousted Singh from the seat in 2019 when the SP formed an alliance with the BSP. Moradabad is one of the five UP seats that the SP has taken. Singh had made a disastrous beginning in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, but he had beaten Hasan in 2014. Bharatiya Gauraksha Sena Moradabad division chief Guddu Chaudhary said that “overconfidence” contributed to the BJP’s loss in 2019. He said that the second reason was the cooperation between the SP and BSP, which gave Hasan the Jatav votes.

“Jatavs are with us this time.” Additionally, Chaudhary, a dhaba owner, said that those who have benefited from Modi’s programs, such Ujjawala and the Ayushman Bharat health card, would vote for the BJP. The party is concerned about simmering discontent among certain SP supporters against the leadership for disregarding Hasan in addition to the consolidation of Hindu votes. Some said that in order to allay voter unhappiness, SP president Akhilesh Yadav could visit Moradabad and organize a rally with Hasan.

Locals and SP supporters think Veera would win in a straight fight between the SP and the BJP, which would prevent a division of minority votes. “BSP doesn’t appear to be going to get many votes. Akhilesh has to enlist Dr. Hasan’s support in order to keep Muslim votes from splitting, according to one SP supporter.