BSP’s MLAs popular as ever,only neither remains with BSP

In Gokalpur in northeast Delhi,MLA Surendra Kumar,denied the ticket,is now contesting as an independent against the BSP’s Choudhary Balraj. Kumar,contesting on the symbol of the cylinder,remains popular,and what could add to the BSP’s worries is the influence of Narendra Modi on voters and the buzz created around the Aam Aadmi Party.

“Kumar ji has done very good work. He has helped us with roads,cleanliness,power and water. We will vote for him and hope he comes back as MLA,” says Raju Gupta of Meet Nagar in Gokalpur.

Sanjay Kumar of Amar Colony in the Harijan Basti agrees,“We had voted for the BSP as a party but given how it has treated an MLA who has done good work,we will not vote for its candidate.”

The BSP does retain some,if shrinking,popularity among a section of the Dalits of the area. Many women among them,however,seem impressed with Arvind Kejriwal and some whisper they would want to see his party win. In the small non-Dalit settlements,on the other hand,support for the BJP is growing,not because of the local candidate but because of Modi.

Much is similar in Badarpur,though it is possibly less grim for the BSP here. Sitting MLA Ram Singh Netaji has left the BSP and is contesting as a Congress candidate. He is a popular MLA,but that is to an extent offset by the massive wave against the Congress. But for his exit,the seat looked a certainty for the BSP. Now,Dalit clusters are divided between the BSP and the current MLA; they are upset with the Congress. Nar Singh Shah,the current BSP candidate,cannot match Netaji for popularity. But one challenge fewer for the BSP is that the AAP does not seem to have made many inroads here.

“We belong to Mayawati’s community and hence we will vote for her party,come what may,” says Sonu Devi of Tajpur Pahari in Badarpur. Tekchand Bairwa agrees,“The BSP represents us.”

Aadarsh Kumar and Lalit Kumar,on the other hand,swear their allegiance to their sitting MLA. “He has worked hard,he is popular. I certainly would like to see him back,” says Aadarsh,adding the fight is between the Congress and BSP.

Lalit Kumar makes a nuanced point: the fight between BSP and Congress could divide the votes to the BJP’s benefit. “Had Netaji and the BSP been together,it would have been a no-contest,” he says.