Lucknow: The upcoming by-election in Ayodhya’s Milkipur, part of the Faizabad parliamentary constituency, has become a significant contest for both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP).
This by-election was triggered by SP national general secretary Awadhesh Prasad’s recent election to Parliament. Following their defeat in Faizabad, the BJP is eager to reclaim this critical seat, while the SP, having previously held the seat, is under substantial pressure to maintain its dominance.
A Crucial Battle For Prestige
For the BJP, the Milkipur by-election represents a crucial battle for prestige. Despite the advantages of the Modi-Yogi factor and the double-engine government, at both the state and national levels, the party’s performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections was disappointing. The BJP sees this by-poll as a chance to reverse its fortunes, regain lost ground, and reinforce its influence in the region.
The Opposition has strategically given Awadhesh Prasad a pre-eminent role in all its meetings, hoping to needle the BJP, which had made the Ram Mandir a central issue in the Lok Sabha campaign. Notably, the BJP lost the election in the constituency where the temple is located. Both the BJP and SP are meticulously strategizing to capture this pivotal seat. For the BJP, reclaiming Milkipur is not just about numbers but also about regaining momentum after recent electoral losses.
The SP, on the other hand, is determined to defend its stronghold and prove its resilience amidst growing pressures. The organizational apparatus of both parties is actively evaluating potential candidates, weighing their chances of victory, and devising plans to galvanize voter support. As the by-election approaches, the political landscape in Milkipur is set to witness intense campaigning and strategic maneuvering from both sides.
Candidate Selection
The BJP is carefully evaluating its candidate options for the Milkipur by-election. With a potential focus on nominating a candidate from the Pasi community, the party aims to connect more effectively with the local electorate and address the issues that contributed to their previous defeat. This strategic move is part of a broader effort to strengthen their position and capitalize on the bypoll as a chance to demonstrate renewed political vigour and commitment. Former MLA Baba Gorakhnath is considered a strong candidate within BJP circles, though the party is yet to make an official announcement.
Gorakhnath’s political journey has seen both victory and defeat; he won the Milkipur seat in the 2017 assembly elections but lost to Awadhesh Prasad by 12,923 votes in the 2022 elections. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Gorakhnath also failed to secure a win for BJP candidate Lallu Singh, who lost by 7,733 votes in Milkipur.
A Pasi VS Pasi Contest
It may well be a ‘Pasi versus Pasi’ contest. By potentially fielding a Pasi candidate (Baba Gorakhnath is Pasi), the BJP aims to resonate with the local electorate and address the factors that led to their previous defeat. Sources indicate that both SP and BJP plan to field a Pasi from the reserved seat, as was the case in the 2017 and 2022 assembly polls. The constituency also has a sizable population of other Dalit communities, including Kori, Jatav, and Dhobi. The Samajwadi Party has already hinted at fielding Awadhesh Prasad’s son Ajit, a Pasi, amid growing calls within the SP to win back the seat and challenge the BJP.
Sources suggest that the SP leadership is expected to mobilize its poll machinery in the constituency soon, relying on the local popularity of Awadhesh Prasad. The BJP has already begun preparations by instructing its Ayodhya unit to restructure booth-level committees and strengthen the Panna samitis.
“We have started our preparations. We are working at the ground level to dispel the various malicious poll narratives set by the opposition,” said BJP leader Kamlesh Srivastava.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also intensified poll preparations in Ayodhya by deploying a team of four UP ministers led by senior cabinet minister Sura Pratap Shahi, a Bhumihar, Mayankeshwar Sharan Singh, a Thakur, Girish Yadav, an OBC, and Satish Chandra Sharma, a Brahmin. This move is seen as a serious bid by Yogi and the BJP to consolidate the upper caste and Yadav community, the latter a traditional voter base of SP, to bolster their poll position. Sources say that the group of ministers recently visited Milkipur to assess the ground situation.
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.