Rethinking the BSP in Gzb, an ex-BJP guy has replaced a developer as the candidate

Ghaziabad: The Samajwadi Party isn’t the only one changing its stance on its candidates. Days after naming realtor Anshay Kalra as its choice for Ghaziabad, the BSP appointed veteran BJP official Nand Kishore Pundhir in lieu of the 30-year-old political novice.

Pundhir just joined the BSP after almost 15 years in the BJP. According to party insiders, he was not happy with the BJP’s decision to deny him a ticket for the next Lok Sabha election.
The action taken by the BSP, led by Mayawati, is seen as an effort to win over the district’s six lakh Rajput voters.

By selecting Punjabi candidate Kalra, the party took many by surprise and justified the choice as an effort to appeal to younger voters. It suddenly had second thoughts.
Pundhir, a Rajput himself, is said to have a lot of clout in society.
Caste dynamics have been evident in the seat since Ghaziabad was separated from Hapur in 2009 due to delimitation. Since then, the BJP has won three terms in a row by fielding a Rajput candidate each time: Rajnath Singh in 2009 and VK Singh the following two times. But this year, the party has chosen to support Atul Garg, a sitting MLA from the area.
“Even after 15 years in the BJP, I was not taken seriously. I had conveyed my intention to run for the elections from Ghaziabad, but the party selected Atul Garg instead. Since the announcement of his name, Mayawati and I have kept in contact. Despite naming another candidate on Friday, she removed my name from consideration as the party’s nominee on Monday, according to Pundhir.
The SP rethought its decision three times in Gautam Budh Nagar before announcing Mahendra Nagar as its candidate. Within two weeks, it chose Nagar first, then Rahul Awana in his place, and finally returned to Nagar.
Pundhir expressed his confidence in securing the majority of Rajput votes. An estimate puts the number of Rajput voters in Ghaziabad at around 6 lakh. Since I’m local, I will inevitably have their support. I am sure we will win from here, considering the dynamics of caste,” he said.
Pundhir, who identifies as a farmer, also owns real estate holdings. He claimed to be originally from Muzaffarnagar and to have connections in the area of Ghaziabad. “I have worked in Ghaziabad for the last 20 years, first as a party worker and then as a social activist. He said, “My wife is from the city as well.
The BSP district president, Dayaram Sain, said that Pundhir’s name was revealed after “much thought.” “The decision was made after our party chief’s meeting. After the other parties revealed their candidates, she made the decision to replace Anshay Kalra with Nand Kishore Pundhir,” he said.