NEW DELHI: RLD and Congress vie for key Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh.
A by-election is scheduled to take place in a few months for 10 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. Among these, two seats—Meerapur and Khair—are particularly contested, making the bypolls even more intriguing. According to a source within the RLD, the party is keen to contest these two high-stakes seats. Similarly, within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, Congress has expressed a strong interest in fielding candidates in Meerapur and Khair. However, both, BJP-led NDA and the Samajwadi Party-led I.N.D.I.A. bloc are eagerly awaiting the announcement of by-elections for the 10 vacant assembly seats, which will clarify the final line-up and reveal which parties will compete against each other for these and the other seats. Both alliances are keen to demonstrate their strength in these by-elections.
Following their performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is confident of improving their results in the by-polls. Meanwhile, BJP is determined to assert its presence despite its recent setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections.
A senior RLD leader revealed that the party has requested the Khair and Meerapur seats from the BJP central leadership. No response has yet been received from BJP, as Delhi is yet to take a decision on it, potential candidates have already started sending their names at the party’s central office. A source familiar with the situation said that a similar scenario is unfolding within the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. Congress is pushing for three out of the 10 seats—Meerapur, Khair, and Kundarki—while SP is only willing to concede the Ghaziabad seat. This underscores the significant challenge both alliances face in determining which party will contest which seat.
According to political analysts, Congress has a strong presence on the Khair seat, and if they contest there, they could present a significant challenge to the opposition. Analysts also suggest that if the RLD contests these two seats, the NDA’s chances of winning could increase. Aditya Rathi, a political analyst said that Meerapur is a traditional stronghold of the RLD, while the Khair seat has a significant Jat population, which could work in RLD’s favour during the election.
Rathi said that despite the Khair Assembly seat being reserved, Jat votes are crucial in determining the outcome, earning the area the nickname “second Jatland” of the district. With 1.10 lakh Jat voters in the constituency, it gives the RLD a strong advantage in the election. He also noted that the contest could become particularly interesting, depending on which candidate the Bahujan Samaj Party fields, as the party has announced plans to contest all ten seats in the bypolls.
According to party sources, SP may introduce new candidates in the upcoming by-elections, taking caste considerations into account. Akhilesh Yadav has requested a list of potential candidates from party in-charges and key leaders across all 10 districts with vacant seats.
Senior SP leaders indicate that Akhilesh might prioritise fresh faces over the relatives of current MLAs and MPs. Meanwhile, a local BJP leader stated that NDA is prepared to contest the by-elections with full force, emphasising that BJP workers are always ready for public service and elections. He added that the party’s effort will result in a significant achievement.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, BJP, along with its allies, secured a total of 273 seats. In the 403-member House, BJP holds 249 seats, while its ally Apna Dal (S) has 13. Rashtriya Lok Dal has eight seats, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has six, and Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (NISHAD) has five. The main opposition party, SP, has 103 members, and Congress has two. Additionally, Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) has two members, and BSP has one.