BSP's second list keeps UP caste equations in mind

NEW DELHI: Apart from keeping intact Muslim-Dalit combination, Bahujan Samaj Party has kept the local caste equations in mind while selecting candidates for Bareilly, Lucknow and Kanpur.

BSP’s second list of 100 candidates for 18 districts, released on Friday, has 23 Muslim faces.

BSP has tried to make the battle tough for SP’s minority face Azam Khan by selecting Tanveer Ahmad Khan as its nominee for Rampur constituency. Tanveer had contested as Congress nominee against Azam in the 2012 assembly polls. In Jaswant Nagar, BSP has selected Durgesh Shakya. “Shakya votes matter not only in Jaswant Nagar, but also in adjoining areas,” a source in Etawah told ET.

Badayun, which is considered a stronghold of SP due to its Muslim-Yadav combination, seems to be high on BSP’ priority this time. BSP has fielded three Muslim faces —Arshad Ali, Ali Mushrat Bittan and Mohammed Rizwan from Sahaswan, Bilsi and Shekhupur, respectively.

BSP’s selection of its candidates for different seats of Barelly indicates about the party’s attempt to form Muslim-Dalit combination. BSP has fielded four Muslim candidates -Naseem Ahemad (Baheri), Sultan Beg (Meerganj), Suleman Beg (Bhojipura) and Dr Anees Ahemad ( Bareilly city). Bareilly has nine assembly seats.

In Pilibhit, BSP has given fresh opportunity to its old horse Arshad Khan to try his luck against SP’s Riyaz Ahmad. “In 2007, Arshad was elected to the state assembly from Puranpur seat. As BSP nominee, he lost assembly polls in Barkhera seat,” a source in Pilibhit said. BSP’s Brahmin face Nakul Dubey will contest from Bakshi ka Talab seat in Lucknow. The BSP has selected Yogesh Dikshit for the Lucknow Cantt seat from where BJP leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who left Congress recently, entered the state assembly in 2012 assembly polls. Mulayam’s second daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav is expected to be fielded from the same seat.