NEW DELHI: The election campaign for Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad constituencies concluded on Wednesday. The BJP focused on infrastructure development, the inauguration of Ram Mandir, and the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In contrast, the SP-Congress alliance highlighted issues of unemployment and inflation, while the BSP emphasised the challenges faced by Dalits and minorities.
The two western Uttar Pradesh constituencies will go to polls on Friday, April 26, in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.
The campaign, however, remained low-decibel in comparison to the 2014 and 2019 general elections. Barring a few rallies or road shows of big leaders, political parties preferred to convince voters through door-to-door campaigns and small meetings. No segment witnessed hoardings, banners, or pamphlet distribution on a mass level. Moreover, the electioneering by the candidates was dull.
“Every candidate focused on their cadre votes and attempt to convince floating or vulnerable voters is not visible on the ground. Campaigns from major political parties appeared low this time,” Alok Sharma, a political analyst from Noida, said.
Contest
Both constituencies will witness a three-cornered contest between the BJP, the INDIA bloc and the BSP. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded its candidate from Gautam Buddha Nagar, while the Congress party is contesting from Ghaziabad.
In the Gautam Buddha Nagar constituency, 15 candidates are in the political fray. As many as 41 nominations were filed, out of which 26 were rejected. The BJP has fielded its sitting MP, Mahesh Sharma, while the SP has given a ticket to Mahendra Nagar. From the BSP, Rajendra Singh Solanki is the candidate.
Candidates
In Ghaziabad, 14 candidates are in the fight. A total of 42 candidates filed their nominations, 22 of which were rejected. The BJP has given the ticket to MLA Atul Garg, while the Congress has given the ticket to former mayoral candidate Dolly Sharma. The BSP has pitted Nand Kishor Pundir against them.
The BJP rules both constituencies. The Gautam Budhh Nagar seat was won by BSP’s Surendra Singh Nagar in 2009 and BJP’s Mahesh Sharma in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. In Ghaziabad, BJP’s Rajnath Singh won in 2009, while VK Singh was victorious in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
During the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Gautam Buddha Nagar constituency had 23,02,960 voters, including 12,68,324 male voters, 10,34,503 female voters, and 133 voters belonging to the third gender. The Ghaziabad constituency had 2,941,624 voters.