UP: Mahan Dal offers support to Maya, says ready to field 3 candidates on BSP symbol

He also mentioned that his party would campaign in support of BSP candidates not just in Uttar Pradesh, but also in other states like Madhya Pradesh, having the vote share of Maurya, Shakya, Saini among others, if the arrangement works.

“We are in touch with BSP and would offer them support in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. We hope to field three candidates with them, on BSP symbol, as we did with Samajwadi Party in the past,” Maurya told The Indian Express.

However, BSP state president Vishwanath Pal refuted Maurya’s claims on support from Mahan Dal and said, “I am not aware of any such talks.”

It may be mentioned that BSP chief Mayawati has repeatedly maintained that she would contest alone and would not enter into alliance with anyone. But, Mahan Dal claims that they are ready to field their candidates on BSP ticket like they did with SP in the past.

Mahan Dal had contested 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress, which had given them seats to contest on their symbol. However, after the 2012 Assembly elections in UP, the two parties could not materialise seat sharing.

The two parties did not come together after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

In the 2022 state Assembly elections, Mahan Dal became an alliance partner with the Samajwadi Party. But after the polls it snapped ties with the SP and offered support to BSP. It again entered into an alliance with the SP during the Madhya Pradesh elections last year and claimed to have contested three seats in the state on the SP symbol.

Addressing a query about not supporting the Congress and the SP in the Lok Sabha polls this year, Maurya said that they were unable to develop a relationship with Congress.

“We could never develop a relationship with Congress after 2014. We have a soft corner for Samajwadi Party, but it started giving importance to leaders like Swami Prasad Maurya and there were indications that SP does not need our support,” he told The Indian Express.

Acknowledging the decision to support the BSP, Maurya said his community, comprising Maurya, Shakya, Kushwaha, feel closer to the ideologies of BSP, which are believers of Lord Buddha and Ambedkar.

“Our community, especially Maurya, Shakya, Kushwaha, feels more inclined towards BSP ideologically. The talks are going on and the results would be clear in the next few days,” said Maurya.

Formed in 2008, the Mahan Dal has an influence among voters from Maurya, Shakya, Kushwaha as well as Saini communities, from parts in central and western Uttar Pradesh especially in the regions like Etah, Bareli, Agra, Firozabad, Moradabad, Sambhal etc. According to sources, the Mahan Dal is eying any of the three seats — Etah, Agra or Farrukhabad.

The party in the past has entered into alliance with the Congress as well as SP, but has failed to win any seats so far. Thus, it is banking on BSP support this time. ?

In 2022, Keshav Dev Maurya’s wife Suman Shakya had contested on an SP ticket from Farrukhabad Assembly constituency, while his son Chandra Prakash Maurya had contested from Bilsi Assembly constituency of Badaun district on an SP ticket.

Both lost the polls to BJP candidates on these seats, but both secured runners-up position with nearly 68,000 votes in Bilsi, and about 73,000 votes in Farrukhabad.