LUCKNOW: BSP chief Mayawati is believed to have finalized BSP candidates for 38 seats in her alliance quota for UP. The list, to be released soon after notification of polls by the ECI, is said to be based on her tried and tested caste calculus of bonding Brahmin - Dalit –Muslim, as in 2007 Assembly poll.
Mayawati is said to have worked with grassroots feedback on caste equations in all constituencies to screen candidates and is likely to pitch for Brahmin candidates in the belief that upper castes are upset with the Yogi Adityanath administration.
“Around 25% of her seats may go to Brahmin candidates to wean the caste away from BJP and Congress”, said poltical observer, Ashutosh Mishra. This, in addition to her Dalits and SP’s Muslim adherents, puts her maths into perspective.
Among Brahmins expected to clinch nominations are Nakul Dubey (Sitapur), Kushal Tiwari(Khalilabad), Rangnath Mishra(Bhadohi), Santosh Tiwari(Kaiserganj), Rakesh Pandey(Ambedkarnagar), Seema Updhyaya(Fatekhpur Sikri), Ajai Rai(Mau) and Ashok Tiwari(Pratapgarh). Of the eight candidates finalised, six are in eastern UP. Of the rest 30 seats, 10 are reserved.
BSP is to contest 10 of 17 reserved seats across UP. Mayawati could herself contest from reserved seat of Nagina. The Brahmin-Dalit combination will thus account for 17 of 38 seats.
On remaining 21 seats, around 7-8 are earmarked for Muslim candidates, 12 to backwards and 2 to Rajputs.
In Muslim-dominated areas Aftab Alam (Domariyaganj), Haji Yaqub Qureshi (Meerut), Afzal Ansari (Ghazipur), Haji Fazlur Rehman (Saharanpur), Ziauddin (Amroha), Arshad Siddiqui (Dhaurhara)have been appointed party incharge. The onus of finding the critical balance is on general secretary SC Mishra