Second Phase A Tough Challenge For BJP, Litmus Test Of Muslim Politics
Lucknow, February 13 (TNA) As the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh braces up for the second phase of balloting on Monday, all eyes are set on how the Muslim politics will play out in this phase where 55 assembly seats in 9 districts will witness voting. This is also the region where under worst coircumstance in 2017, Samajwadi Party (SP) managed to win 15 of its total tally of 47.
The districts where polling will be held include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Bareilly, Amroha, Shahjahanpur and Badaun. Of these 48 seats are where Muslim voters are in majority. There are 90 thousand to 2.25 Muslim voters in these seats.
Muslim majority seats include Behat, Nakur, Saharanpur Nagar, Saharanpur Dehat, Deoband, Rampur Maniharan(SC), Gangoh, Najibabad, Nagina(SC), Badhapur, Dhampur, Nahtaur(SC).
Jailed SP veteran Azam Khan's influence is also believed to be fairly okay in this area and Rampur is also voting on Monday.
The Muslim dominant seats also are Bijnor, Chandpur, Nurpur, Kanth, Thakur, Moradabad Rural, Moradabad Nagar, Kundarki, Bilari, Chandausi(SC), Sambhal, Swar, Chamarva, Vilaspur, Rampur, Milak(SC), Dhanaura(SC), Naugaonasadat, Amroha, Hasanpur, Gunnaur, Bisauli(SC), Sahaswan, Badaun, Sheikhpur, Baheri, Mirganj, Bhojipura, Nawabganj, Faridpur (SC), Bareilly, Bareilly (Cantt), Amla, Tilhar, Shahjahanpur, Dadraul.
Considering the number of Muslim voters, BSP has fielded 23, Congress 21, SP 18 and AIMIM 15 Muslim candidates. There are a whopping 77 Muslim candidates vying for success in the 55 seats in the second phase. In these 55 seats, even in the massive BJP wave of 2017, SP got 15 and Congress got 2 seats. The account of BSP had not opened then.