UP polls: BJP holds edge in Noida battle

Noida: If the booth management is something to go by, the BJP has a clear edge in Noida.

Though there are a total of 14 candidates, the main contest is likely to be between Union home minister Rajnath Singh’s elder son Pankaj Singh, the Samajwadi Party’s Sunil Chaudhry and the BSP’s Ravi Kant Mishra.

Despite hype over the SP-Congress alliance, in Noida it’s the Congress which seemed to be damaging the electoral prospects of the SP. A majority of voters, who consider SP’s Mr Chaudhary as a “good candidate”, were turning against him for the party’s alliance with the Congress. “We could have voted for him, but we don’t want to vote for the Congress,” was the refrain of many voters.

A visit to about a dozen polling stations showed that the BJP had put up its booths in almost all polling stations. There were about six polling stations where not a single booth of the ruling SP could be seen. One could track only four polling stations where the BSP had set up its booths to help voters.

The Union home minister’s son is making his electoral debut from this crucial seat. The BJP had sent about a dozen Union ministers to campaign for him. The party fielded Pankaj Singh in place of sitting MLA Vimla Batham, who had won the 2014 by-polls.

The election to this seat is also important for Union minister and local MP Mahesh Sharma, who has considerable influence in the area with his chain of hospitals and NGOs. Pankaj Singh had visited Mr Sharma’s residence on Saturday morning to seek his blessings. Soon after his mother offered him sweets, Mr Singh, along with Mr Sharma, visited Noida Sector 15 Club polling booth.