In Kaushambi, it’s a tight BJP vs SP contest — as Raja Bhaiya factor looms
In recent weeks, leaders from both the Samajwadi Party and BJP have been holding regular meetings with Raja Bhaiya, seeking his support in the election. Candidates of the SP and the BJP have also met him.
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The recent announcement on non-alignment with any political party or candidate in the Lok Sabha election by Raja Bhaiya, has injected further intrigue into this electoral contest. (Express File Photo)Vinod Kumar Sonkar, the incumbent BJP MP and its candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in Kaushambi, is facing formidable opposition in his bid for a third consecutive victory, particularly from his main rival: Pushpendra Saroj.
Saroj, contesting on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket, stands out as one of the youngest candidates in the state, adding a dynamic element to the electoral landscape. He celebrated his 25th birthday on March 1 this year.
The Kaushambi seat, with around 19 lakh votes, is dominated by Dalit voters, totalling around seven lakh votes, with a significant portion, around four lakh votes, belonging to the Pasi community which Pushpendra Saroj, the SP candidate, is from.
Sonkar secured victories in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket.
In both these past elections, Vinod’s closest contenders were candidates from the SP. However, this time around, Vinod Kumar finds himself in a precarious position due to mounting anti-incumbency sentiment against him in the constituency.
The Kaushambi Lok Sabha seat, set to vote on Monday, encompasses five Assembly constituencies: Babaganj, Kunda, Sirathu, Manjhanpur, and Chail. In the 2022 Assembly elections, the SP triumphed in three of these constituencies — Sirathu, Manjhanpur, and Chail.
Meanwhile, the other two constituencies, situated in Pratapgarh district, were wrested by the Jansatta Dal Loktantrik Party. The Kunda seat was clinched by the president of Jansatta Dal Loktantrik Party, Raghuraj Pratap Singh, also known as Raja Bhaiya, whereas his party member Vinod Kumar emerged triumphant in Babaganj.
The recent announcement on non-alignment with any political party or candidate in the Lok Sabha election by Raja Bhaiya, has injected further intrigue into this electoral contest.
The Kunda and Babaganj constituencies, with around seven lakh votes combined, is dominated by OBC communities. Raja Bhaiya is reputed to wield considerable influence in both these areas and his support could play a significant role in the election.
Similarly, Sirathu and Chail constituencies in Kaushambi also have a significant OBC presence, while Manjhanpur is predominantly SC-dominated.
Notably, Raja Bhaiya’s party, the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) Party, established in 2018, has opted not to nominate any candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
In recent weeks, leaders from both the Samajwadi Party and BJP have been holding regular meetings with Raja Bhaiya, seeking his support in the election. Candidates of the SP and the BJP have also met him.
Raja Bhaiya also had a recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In a widely circulated video on social media, Raja Bhaiya is purportedly heard saying that his party would not field any candidates in Kaushambi and Pratapgarh seat nor forge alliances with any other political party. Our supporters and voters in both the Kunda and Babaganj assembly constituencies have been in constant contact with us, seeking guidance on whom to support. After consultations with party leaders and workers, a decision has been made that the party will not endorse any candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. Our voters and supporters are free to cast their votes according to their own discretion, Raja Bhaiya purportedly says in the clip.
A resident of Kaushambi remarked, “There is a palpable sense of anti-incumbency against Vinod Kumar Sonkar this time. People are yearning for change, and Raja Bhaiya’s decision not to align with any political party has placed Vinod Kumar in a precarious position.” However, BJP’s Kaushambi district president, Dharamraj Maurya, dismissed claims of anti-incumbency against Vinod Kumar. He said, “Vinod Kumar and I, along with our party candidate, met Raja Bhaiya, but ultimately, the decision on whom to support rests with him. Nevertheless, we remain confident of our victory. There is no anti-incumbency.”
Vinod Kumar of the BJP is vying for a third consecutive victory in this election. He clinched the 2014 Lok Sabha election by triumphing over his closest contender, Shailendra Kumar of the SP, by a margin of 42,900 votes. Notably, Shailendra Kumar had previously secured victory in the 2009 Lok Sabha election on the Samajwadi Party ticket.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Vinod Kumar emerged victorious once again, defeating Indrajeet Saroj of the Samajwadi Party. Vinod garnered 383,009 votes, accounting for 39.31 percent of the total votes, while Indrajeet secured 344,287 votes, constituting 35.33 percent of the total votes.
During this election, Shailendra Kumar contested on the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) ticket, securing the third position with 156,406 votes, which amounted to 16.05 per cent of the total votes.
Last month, the SP announced the candidacy of Pushpendra Saroj, the son of five-time MLA Indrajeet Saroj, shortly after the BJP revealed their decision to nominate Vinod Kumar Sonkar once again. This election marks Pushpendra’s inaugural foray into electoral politics, as he has never contested any prior elections during his schooling or university years.
Despite having a political lineage, Pushpendra entered politics after completing his undergraduate studies in accounting and management at Queen Mary University of London. He spent three years abroad before returning to India in 2019. Subsequently, in 2021, Pushpendra joined the Samajwadi Party and has since been actively involved in political endeavors.
In this election, the BSP has put forth Shubh Narayan as their candidate for the Kaushambi seat.
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