Aiming to keep her Dalit vote bank intact, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Friday fielded Dalit candidates against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia (PSPL) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav.
As per the list released by the BSP, Kuldeep Narayan will contest against Akhilesh Yadav from Karhal seat of Mainpuri while Brajendra Pratap Singh has been pitted against Shivpal Singh Yadav from Jaswantnagar assembly seat in Etawah. Both Karhal and Jaswantnagar are unreserved seats and considered the stronghold of Samajwadi Party. The SP has been winning Karhal and Jaswantnagar seats since the 1993 assembly polls.
A BSP leader said, "Narayan and Singh will be contesting the assembly elections for the first time. Both belong to the Jatav community and have been working for the party at the grassroots level, strengthening the support base in Mainpuri and Etawah. BSP chief Mayawati decided to field Kuldeep Narayan and Brajendra Pratap Singh against the political heavyweights in order to send out a strong message to the party cadre that committed workers would be given preference in the assembly elections. The BSP hopes to mobilise the younger party cadre at a time when most senior leaders have deserted the party.”
On Thursday, Mayawati released the BSP list of 53 candidates for the third phase of UP assembly elections where polling will be held on February 20 in 59 assembly constituencies across 11 districts. Among these districts Mainpuri, Etawah, Firozabad, Etah, Hathras, Kasganj, Kannauj, Farrukhabad and Aurraiya are pocket boroughs of the Samajwadi Party.
Of the 53 candidates, 18 belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 17 are Dalits, 15 are from the upper castes and three are Muslims. The 11 districts (in which third phase assembly election will be held) have a large backward and Dalit population. Keeping caste equations in mind, the BSP chief has fielded maximum candidates from both communities. Under the social engineering formula, Brahmin and Rajput candidates have also been fielded in upper castes majority seats.
Mayawati will launch the BSP election campaign by addressing a public meeting from Agra on February 2.
