As Congress and the BSP avoid the UP by-election on September 5, BJP and SP are prepared for the Ghosi grind
As candidates for the two parties submitted their nominations on the final day for the by-election to Mau’s Ghosi assembly constituency, Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) opted not to run. This means that the Ghosi bypoll will be a BJP vs. SP battle, as well as the first-ever NDA VS INDIA fight.
On Thursday, Sudhakar Singh of SP and 13 other candidates submitted their nominations. In the middle of a massive “Namankan Sabha” (nomination rally), which was perceived as an effort to demonstrate “strength” and “unity,” BJP choice and SP dissident Dara Singh Chauhan submitted his candidacy on Wednesday. The departure of Chauhan, who joined the in-power BJP last month, required the byelection. Election day in the district is September 5, and results will be announced on September 8.
“On the last day for submitting nominations, 13 candidates submitted their applications, including Sudhakar Singh of the SP. 17 candidates from various parties have submitted their nominations overall, according to Suresh Kumar, returning officer for the Ghosi assembly constituency.
Political experts in UP saw the BJP’s choice to nominate Chauhan from Ghosi as an effort to win over the Other Backward Caste (OBC) voters, who are significant in both Ghosi and the east UP area due to their sizeable population.
Political analyst: “Wooing OBC votes looks to be cakewalk for BJP this time, particularly after the induction of Chauhan and other 18 bigwigs from the OBC and SC groups, as well as the induction of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar in the NDA.
By beating Vijay Rajbhar of the BJP in the 2022 assembly elections, Chauhan was elected MLA from the Ghosi seat on an SP ticket. He did, however, resign from his assembly membership and join BJP in July of this year.
Although Chauhan is well-liked in the Ghosi community, his reputation as a party animal might be detrimental. In 1996, Chauhan began his political career with the BSP, went to the SP in 2000, returned to the BSP in 2009, joined the BJP in 2015, joined the SP in 2022, and is now returning to the BJP in 2023, the expert said.
Sudhakar Singh, the SP contender for the Ghosi assembly seat, is another well-known name. By beating Mukhtar Ansari of the Qaumi Ekta Dal (QED) and Fagu Chauhan of the BSP, Sudhakar was able to win the Ghosi assembly seat in 2012. Political analysts said Sudhakar’s chances of winning are better because Akhilesh Yadav’s party is concentrating on the anti-BJP voters in the constituency, which has about 60,000 Rajbhar voters, 50,000 Chauhan (Nonia-OBC), about 40,000 Yadavs (they are all OBCs), and 60,000 Dalits in addition to the OBC and SC voters. Around 90,000 Muslims are registered to vote.
In a recent speech to the media, Sudhakar Singh, an ex-MLA from Ghosi, predicted that the BJP will lose the elections. Dara Singh Chauhan will be vanquished and sent away by the populace. Despite serving in that position as an MLA many times, he did little to help the community.
