BJP, BSP may not contest UP Council polls
The BSP and the BJP have more or less decided not to field their candidates in the upcoming elections to the UP Vidhan Parishad through the local bodies.
The BSP and the BJP have more or less decided not to field their candidates in the upcoming elections to the UP Vidhan Parishad through the local bodies. This will give a walkover to the ruling Samajwadi Party.
According to party sources, both the parties have decided not to officially field their candidates but are not averse to their candidates contesting on their own.
State BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai told reporters that the party had sought reports from the district units and would review the situation before taking the final decision.
“These elections are ruled by the ruling party. In 2009, the BSP, which was in power, had won 32 of the 34 seats and this time it will be the Samajwadi Party that will show similar results. These elections are governed by the ruling party and what happened in the panchayat elections will happen again,” he said.
Apparently, the BJP does not wish to face defeat in an election that is being held months before the Assembly elections.
“A defeat in these elections will demoralise party cadres and also show us in bad light. The ruling Samajwadi Party will use all tricks to win the polls and it is better to maintain a safe distance in this situation,” said a veteran party leader.
BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya echoed similar sentiments and said, “The Samajwadi Party is going to misuse government machinery to turn the tide in its favour. We do not wish to waste our energy in an election where the results are being decided before the polls. If anyone from the party wants to contest on his own, he is free to do so.”
The Congress, meanwhile, is yet undecided about its candidates and whether at all the party should contest the elections or not. A senior UPCC leader said that these elections depended more on an individual’s capacity to get votes from the members of local bodies than on the party. “There may be some candidates who are confident of getting elected and they should be allowed to do so. The final decision will come from the party high command,” he said.