MORADABAD: In the meetings of the BJP’s local units in Moradabad, emphasis is on bringing voters to polling stations on the voting day. Encouraging party sympathisers to come out and vote is a course correction the BJP has planned following the “mistake” it committed in the last Lok Sabha elections.
“Last time we thought we were winning, therefore didn’t make much effort. The party lost this seat despite a strong Modi wave that swept the country. In every meeting, stress is on working on the ground to ensure each voter reaches the booth and votes on April 19,” said Sudhanshu Agrawal, convener of BJP’s Moradabad Dehat unit.
The BJP has nominated Kunwar Sarvesh Kumar Singh, an influential zamindar of the district, fourth time from the seat while the Samajwadi Party has preferred former MLA of Bijnor Ruchi Veera over incumbent Dr ST Hasan. Veera belongs to the influential family of Bijnor, which is part of the management of education institutions in UP and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi. Considered a close confidant of party heavyweight from Rampur Azam Khan, she managed to get the nomination at the eleventh hour. The BSP has fielded Irfan Saifi, chairman of Thakurdwara Nagar Palika.
“The message is being sent out to support and vote for Modi. We can’t afford to make a mistake again,” said Agrawal who stays in Mandi Bans of old city area, close to the residence-cum-nursing home of Hasan.
In 2019, Hasan wrested the seat from Singh when the SP had stitched an alliance with BSP. Moradabad is among five seats won by the SP in UP. Singh had defeated Hasan in 2014 after an unsuccessful debut in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Guddu Chaudhary, incharge, Moradabad division of Bharatiya Gauraksha Sena, also said “overconfidence” led to BJP’s defeat in 2019. The other reason was the SP-BSP alliance that transferred Jatav votes to Hasan, he added.
“This time Jatavs are with us. Moreover people who have benefitted from the schemes introduced by Modi, such as Ujjawala and Ayushman Bharat health card, will fetch votes for BJP,” said Chaudhary, who runs a dhaba. Besides consolidation of Hindu votes, simmering anger among some SP sympathisers against the leadership for ignoring Hasan is a concern for the party. Some said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should come to Moradabad and hold a rally with Hasan to quell dissatisfaction among voters.
Locals and SP supporters believe that a direct contest between SP and BJP, meaning no split in minority votes, would result in Veera’s victory. “It seems BSP will not get a good votes. Akhilesh must bring Dr Hasan on board to prevent a divide in Muslim votes,” said an SP sympathiser.