BJP 'axes' 6 MPs in UP list with eye on SP-BSP alliance

Satyapal with Sakshi (File) Union Minister Satyapal Singh (right) with fellow BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj | Facebook account of Satyapal Singh

Motormouth BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj had declared that denial of a ticket to him for the Lok Sabha polls would prove disastrous for the party.

On Thursday, when the BJP announced its first list of candidates, Maharaj was lucky enough to get a ticket from Unnao, again. But out of the 28 names announced for Uttar Pradesh, six sitting MPs were denied a chance to contest again. This has been done to counter the BSP-SP alliance in the state.

Prominent among those who were axed are Minister Krishna Raj, outgoing MP from Shahjahanpur reserved seat, and Ram Shankar Katheria, who was earlier a minister of state in the NDA government and chairperson of SC Commission, from Agra.

Another dalit MP who has been denied ticket is Anju Bala from Misrikh seat. Similarly, Anshul Verma has been denied a ticket from Hardoi reserved constituency. The BJP changed these dalit MPs to counter the anti-incumbency factor against them, by giving tickets to other dalit candidates as the SP-BSP alliance could have dented their chances of winning.

Moreover, another dalit MP, Savitri Bai Phule, had resigned from BJP, citing atrocities against dalits during the party's rule.

In the list released on Thursday, the BJP has given a ticket to Sanghamitra Maurya, daughter of MLA Swami Prasad Maurya, currently a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. Swami Prasad Maurya had earlier been associated with the BSP and has influence among his caste. Sanghamitra will take on Dharmendra Yadav, Mulayam's nephew and a sitting member. This has been done to polarise the caste-based voters as the Congress had fielded a Muslim candidate. There has been a feeling that dalit votes may not get transferred to the SP, so Sanghamitra can benefit from those votes.

Despite Katheria winning from Agra, a BSP stronghold, the BJP has given the ticket to S.P. Singh Bhagel, currently minister in the state government. He is also in-charge of the BJP's OBC cell. His name has been nominated to “balance” the caste factor in the constituency.

Two more leaders denied tickets are Jat leader Babulal Chaudhary from Fatehpur Sikri and Satya Pal Singh from Sambhal.

Candidates given tickets are Arun Sagar in Shahjahanpur, Parameshwar Lal Saini from Sambhal, Raj Kumar Chaher in Fatehpur Sikri, Jai Prakash Rawat from Hardoi and Ashok Rawat from Misrikh seat.

The prominent leaders who will contest again in the state are Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow and Smriti Irani from Amethi, who will be taking on Rahul Gandhi. Minister of State V.K. Singh has been given a ticket from Ghaziabad, while former Mumbai police commissioner and minister Satyapal Singh will contest again from Baghpat.