As Mayawati Decides To 'Test Waters', BSP To Contest Assembly Bye-Polls In UP

LUCKNOW || The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is again likely to go solo in the bye elections for the eight assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Sources said that BSP supmreo Mayawati has authorised sector-incharges to both select and announce candidates.

Of the seats vacant for the by-election, six were held by the ruling BJP and two by the Samajwadi Party (SP). The BSP believes that the success of the by-election will provide the basis to show its position among the anti-BJP parties to prepare for the general election of 2022.

By doing so this time, the BSP has broken from past traditions as it never contested a bye election in the state. A senior leader told The News Agency that Behen ji (as Mayawati is called fondly by her admirers) was "trying to test waters" before the 2022 state assembly elections. The BSP has been faced with electoral routs in the past few years.

While it lost power to SP in 2012, it failed miserably in 2017 state assembly elections and in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Mayawati has been soft on the BJP and opposition parties often accuse her of becoming a B-team of the BJP. By contesting the polls she is aiming at first testing the preparedness of the party and secondly to shrug off charges of a bonhomie with the BJP.

The bye polls are to be held in UP for Tundla of Firozabad, Swar of Rampur, Bangarmau of Unnao, Malhani of Jaunpur, Sadar, Bulandshahar of Deoria, Ghatampur of Kanpur and Naugawan seat of Amroha. The BSP has made up its mind to field former district president Kuldeep Shankwar from Ghatampur.

Kuldeep Shankhawar has been the District President of Kanpur Dehat thrice and was also the zonal coordinator in the BSP government. Similarly, the candidate's name has been decided from Malhani seat in Jaunpur, it is also likely to be announced soon.