“Tele”: Ram Ke Naam? Arun Govil, a BJP candidate, will face fierce opposition in Meerut during the 2024 Lok Sabha election

With the approaching elections and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) facing electoral problems, Meerut’s political environment is undergoing a seismic upheaval. The choice to replace three-term MP Rajendra Agarwal with Arun Govil, who is best known for playing Lord Ram in the television series “Ramayana,” was first seen as a calculated risk that would provide difficulties.

BJP negotiating a perilous path

The BJP had anticipated that Govil’s connection to the holy person of Lord Ram would strike a chord in Meerut, particularly after the Ram Mandir was built and the party’s campaign revolved on the deity. But as the election fever spreads over Meerut, it’s clear that the BJP is walking a dangerous line.

A noteworthy advancement is the lack of a Muslim candidate on the opposition’s slate, even though Muslims make up 36% of the constituency’s population. All major political parties, including the Congress-SP alliance and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), are running Hindu candidates in this election, which is different from past ones that were marked by religious polarization. This lessens the possibility of such polarization.

The electoral dynamics of Meerut

Given that the BJP has historically won by slim margins in elections, the electoral dynamics in Meerut are characterized by fascinating subtleties. In an attempt to capitalize on the Dalit-Muslim demography, the SP-Congress combination is placing its hopes on Sunita Verma, a Dalit, while the BSP has put up Devvrat Tyagi, a member of the upper caste. Political observers point to the strategic significance of the Dalit-Muslim population, which makes up almost 50% of the vote in Meerut.

With the support of her husband Yogesh, a former MLA for the Samajwadi Party, and her own experience as mayor of Meerut, Sunita Verma is using this coalition to the SP’s benefit. The degree to which the electorate was polarized affected the results of previous elections. For example, Yaqoob Qureshi, who was a member of the SP-BSP-RLD coalition in 2019, lost by a margin of fewer than 5,000 votes, and his position as the only Muslim candidate had a major impact on the result.

Muslim candidates are not present in Meerut

Election results now heavily depend on the choice of candidates. A new factor in the battle is the lack of Muslim candidates on both the SP and BSP lists from the most recent elections. The BSP’s choice to run a candidate who is Tyagi has strengthened ties within the Tyagi community and highlighted the continued significance of caste ties in the election process.

Concerns about things like caste dynamics and infrastructure growth remain, even with the BJP’s focus on development and infrastructure projects. The use of Lord Ram in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s rallies in Meerut is indicative of the BJP’s attempts to mobilize support, especially in view of Govil’s candidacy.

Voters’ differing perspectives in Meerut’s multicultural streets are a reflection of the political landscape’s diversity. Some praise Rajendra Agarwal, the sitting MP, while others express concerns over the BJP’s choice of a different candidate.

The results of the vote in Meerut, which is set for April 26, are expected to be impacted by a number of variables, such as the choice of candidates, demographic concerns, and the public’s assessment of the parties’ platforms and track records.