SP teams to counter BJP’s Dalit MPs

Dalits, who constitute nearly 25 per cent of the population in Mainpuri, are considered traditional voters of BSP. BSP had polled nearly 1.42 lakh votes in the seat in the 2014 elections.

SP has fielded Tej Pratap Yadav, the grand nephew of Mulayam, while BJP is yet to declare its candidate with speculation being rife that it is considering fielding BSP MLC Vinay Shakya from the seat.

BJP has pushed Dalit MPs Ram Shanker Katheria (Agra), Anju Bala (Mishrikh) and Rajesh Diwakar (Hathras) for mobilising dalit voters in the SP bastion.

SP has constituted nearly 200 teams, each comprising four to six worker. The teams have been directed to approach every Dalit village in the constituency and hold one-to-one interaction about Mulayam’s development work in the area. Every meeting will be documented.

The feedback, which will also include any resistance from Dalit voters towards SP, will be conveyed every day to the district unit of SP in Mainpuri. The feedback will also be intimated to senior minister Shivpal Yadav and MP Dharmendra Yadav who will reportedly personally try and convince Dalits to vote in favour of the SP.

Another SP MLC, Naresh Uttam, too, has been asked to remain stationed at the main office for proper management of things.

“We understand that whoever is able to convince the Dalits will get their votes. We are special concentration on Dalit voters and our senior party leaders will also address them personally,” Khuman Singh Verma, district president of SP in Mainpuri, said.

SP candidate Tej Pratap Yadav will file his nomination tomorrow.

Mainpuri, which Mulayam had won by a margin of 3.64 lakh votes, showed signs of SP’s slide during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Mulayam lost in Bhogaon assembly segment by 1,140 votes to BJP’s S S Chauhan despite Bhogaon’s SP MLA Alok Kumar Shakya being a minister in Akhilesh government. SP’s victory depends on Jaswant Nagar parliamentary constituency which is in Etawah district and had polled 1.87 lakh votes in favour of Mulayam during 2014 polls. Currently Jaswant Nagar assembly seat is represented by Shivpal Yadav.