Priyanka Gandhi’s entry prompts BSP to rethink Lok Sabha tickets in UP

India वोट Kar | January 30, 2019

The appointment of Priyanka Gandhi as a Congress national general secretary in charge of the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh was reported in late January 2019 to have unsettled the SP-BSP alliance, prompting the BSP to reconsider its approach to Lok Sabha seats and candidates. BSP chief Mayawati travelled from Lucknow to Delhi late at night amid the developments.

Pressure on the alliance

The SP and BSP, which had kept the Congress out of their tie-up, faced a fresh challenge as Rahul Gandhi set the goal of contesting all Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and forming a Congress government in the state in 2022. Under the SP-BSP arrangement, agreed on January 12, the BSP was to contest 38 of the state’s 80 seats.

Changes being considered in the BSP

With an eye on the mood of Muslim voters, Mayawati was said to have changed her mind about contesting from the Nagina seat in Bijnor district. Girish Chandra Jatav, a former MLA from Nagina, could now be the party’s candidate there.
There had been talk of Mayawati contesting from Ambedkar Nagar, but Rakesh Pandey was being considered for the ticket there.
The BSP could change candidates already named for about two dozen seats. Instead of fielding fewer Muslim candidates, as had earlier been proposed, the party was reported to be considering giving more tickets to Muslims.

Sources said the list of seats for each partner would probably have been announced by now had it not been for Priyanka Gandhi’s entry.

Mayawati on Rahul Gandhi’s income promise

In a statement on Tuesday, Mayawati criticised Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of a minimum income guarantee, comparing it to the Garibi Hatao slogan and calling it a cruel joke. She said people had little faith in the promises of either Congress or BJP governments, and that Rahul Gandhi should first implement the scheme in Congress-ruled states. She also described the BJP’s promises to farmers as hollow.