NEW DELHI: Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar, two high profile Lok Sabha constituencies within the limits of NCR, go to polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26.
The BJP have intensified campaign in these constituencies with the UP Chief Minister, Union Home Minister and even Prime Minister participating in campaigns. Meanwhile, senior leaders from the opposition, especially INDIA bloc top brass are yet to arrive in support of their candidates.
A couple of weeks ago, UP CM Yogi Adityanath made a visit to the district to take stock of the party’s election preparedness. A week later, PM Narendra Modi held a road show in support of the party nominee.
As far as the Congress campaign is concerned, local leaders are active on ground, but senior party leaders are yet to take part. From BSP, Mayawati’s nephew Anand has campaigned for his party candidate but the party supremo, a significant face capable of drawing masses, is yet to announce her plan to participate in election campaign.
Similarly in Gautam Buddha Nagar, CM Yogi Adityanath and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have held rallies in support of party candidate Mahesh Sharma, the MP from this seat since 2014. Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded Mahendra Singh Nagar as INDIA bloc candidate. Nagar has filed his nomination paper and is busy in campaign but the party or the alliance is yet to hold a significant rally or road show in in his support.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati had distanced themselves from the areas due to the infamous ‘Noida Jinx’ but now circumstance have changed after Yogi Adityanath shattered the myth. Now both SP and BSP workers want their leaders to visit and participate in the campaign.
Opposition workers believe if they can defeat BJP on these two VIP seats, it will be a milestone achievement. And to make this possible, the top brass will have to come in support of their candidate on ground. “Senior opposition leaders from Delhi and Lucknow should come and support their candidates. The BJP is doing its bit,” said a commentator close to the Congress.