With a good performance in the Panchayat elections in Haridwar district, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has proved that it is still a force to reckon with in the district. The party has pushed the ruling congress to the second position in the election of 47 member District Panchayat members. The BSP candidates have secured victory in 16 seats while Congress supported candidates won in 12; the BJP was reduced to only 03 seats. The independents have won in 16 seats of the district Panchayat.
Sounding elated over the success of party candidates the state President of BSP, Satish Kumar said that the victory proves the sway of the party over the electorate of Haridwar. He said that the ruling Congress had thrown its full weight in the elections but people have refused it.
“All the cabinet minister’s and the Chief Minister were camping in the district and the entire state machinery was helping the Congress party but all their effort was not able to bring success to them,’’ said the BSP state President.
Satish Kumar attributed the victory to the party organisation and claimed that the party would win in Nine out of 11 assembly constituencies in Haridwar in the assembly elections of 2017.
However, the party is now trying to capture the all important post of District Panchayat President. The elections have also proved the clout of former MlA Mohammad Shehjad as his brother and sister in law emerged victorious in the elections.
It is pertinent to mention here that Haridwar district with 45 per cent population of Muslims and Scheduled Castes (SCs) holds the key to the fortunes of BSP which is the third largest party in Uttarakhand. In this district the party had cornered an impressive 23 per cent votes in the general elections of 2009. In the assembly elections of 2012, the party candidates were able to bag three assembly seats (Bhagwanpur, Jharbera and Manglore) in Haridwar.