Riots queer SP’s west UP pitch

“There is no scope left for the SP in western UP. Jats are not going to vote for us while Muslims have also drifted away. There is no point in being with the SP given that people’s sentiments are against it,” said a Jat leader of western UP.

In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls,the SP won only the Bulandshahr seat much due to former CM Kalyan Singh’s standing in western UP.

Former union minister Sompal Shastri,projected as a big catch by SP and fielded against union civil aviation minister Ajit Singh,has also pulled out. A week ago,in a letter to SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav,Shastri said the recent riots have jolted people and the SP should understand his sentiments and relieve him from contesting the elections. Shastri had defeated Ajit Singh in 1998.

Close on Shastri’s heels,former MLA Ratanlal Pawar from Kandhla in Muzaffarnagar resigned from SP,blaming the state government for the riots. Several workers left the party with Pawar.

The situation is set to turn worse with even local level workers deserting the party. Several hoardings of the party in Muzaffarnagar have been pulled down while district level officer-bearers have announced quitting the party.

CM Akhilesh Yadav ,in a damage control exercise,took cabinet minister Rajendra Choudhary,a Jat,along with him during his visit to Muzaffarnagar last Saturday.

But the symbolic gesture has failed to arrest the exodus of leaders.

Two other former MLAs Mahak Singh and Ajay Kumar quit the party Friday. Both have represented Chaprauli assembly seat in the past. Mahak Singh is a senior Jat leader and is considered close to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. His son,Ajay Kumar,had unsuccessfully contested from Badaut Assembly seat in Baghpat on SP ticket in 2012.

“We had managed to bring Jats and other communities to party fold. Now,none from Jat community wants to listen the name of SP,” Ajay Kumar said .

Anuradha Choudhary,another Jat face in the party,is staying aloof after the violence. She did not attend the recent SP’s national executive meet held in Agra on September 11-12.