The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is hoping that its Muslim-Dalit combination in Haridwar and Nanital parliamentary seats would give it rich dividends in the ensuing lok Sabha elections.
In a shrewd move the party has nominated Muslim candidates from these constituencies which have a sizeable population of these communities.The party has nominated Hazi Mohammad Islam from Haridwar and an ex-Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer laique Ahmed from Nanital lok Sabha seat.
In Haridwar, the minority and dalits constitute about 45 per cent of the electorate. Here, the BSP had cornered an impressive 23 per cent votes in the general elections of 2009 and managed to win three Assembly seats in the 2012 election.In Haridwar, the party is also facing problems due to revolt of two of its three MlAs. Social Welfare Minister Surendra Rakesh and leader of BSP in assembly Haridas were suspended from the party on charges of anti party activities
Nanital parliamentary constituency also has about 3.50 lakh minority and 2.75 lakh dalit voters. It also has a large population of migrants from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bengal which the party is eying to corner in the elections.The BSP candidate frOm Nanital, Ahmed told The Pioneer that he is getting good response from all sections of the society and it appears that the people have made up their minds for a change this time.
The State president of BSP Meghraj Singh told The Pioneer the people of Uttarakhand are fed up with both the BJP and Congress. He said that the BSP has provided the people a strong third alternative. Singh said that in Nanital and Haridwar the party would put up an impressive performance. He said the Municipal Chairman form Jaspur in Nanital is a party worker and the party had five District Panchayat members in Nanital.
BSP stands third behind Congress and BJP in terms of vote share in Uttarakhand.The party got 6.77 per cent votes in the 2004 general elections it increased its voting share to an impressive 15.29 per cent in the 2009 elections but still failed to open its account in the State.
The party is hoping to open its account this time and Haridwar and Nanital are the two seats on which it is pinning its hope.