BJP's new mantra: Polarise Mainpuri voters against Yadavs

MAINPURI: Incident 1: A group of BJP workers talking to some residents at Madhav Nagar discussing how the administraiton under Yadav clans influence couldn't come clear with medical report of a Brahmin girl, a resident of Bewar town, who was not only raped but the accused was also caught in semi-nude position.
Incident 2: Another group of BJP workers has been spreading words about Gadibaan locality incident where no action was taken against accused close to Samajwadi Party, who allegedly attempted to outrage the modesty of a girl of Jain community's in broad daylight.
Incident 3: SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav announced compensation of Rs 20 lakh to family members of Nagla Anuduttpur village pradhan after he was killed while the state government did nothing for the family of BSP personnel Surendra Pal, a resident of Nagla Prithvi in Biswan police staiton, who received martyrdom on Indo-Pak border.
These are some of the incidents that have become part of the BJP's case study at the political laboratory of Mainpuri in these by-poll. After social engineering formula of BSP and age-old polarization on communal lines, here comes BJP's polarization on caste lines against Yadavs in Mainpuri which they call it social polarization.The idea is to polarize all other caste of Mainpuri voters against Yadavs loyal to Samajwadi Party. Mainpuri is going to by-poll on September 13, after SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav vacated the seat while retaining Azamgarh that he won during the Lok Sabha election. He has fielded his grand nephew Tejpal Singh Yadav from Mainpuri, while BJP has fielded Prem Kumar Shakya.
The BJP fancy the chances to woo them even the Dalits through this all the more when Bahujan Samaj Party is not in the fray. When contest of BJP is with SP, polarisation against Yadav is what the party plans to target, a senior BJP leader camping in Mainpuri for past a few days told TOI.
Besides, raking up these incidents during discussions, the party think tank has pitched in MPs and leaders, who have influence on the voters of some caste or the other. Top on the list is BJP's national general secretary and Agra MP Dr Ramshanker Katheria, popular among the party cadre as a Hindu dalit. However, its his dalit face that has forced to party to direct him to camp in Mainpuri, a party leader told TOI. At a time when BSP is not in the fray, the party feels that dalit vote that is around 2 lakh in population in Mainpuri could shift to the party in the by-poll here. Katheria has until now held meeting in around 80 villages ever since he began camping in Mainpuri since August 27, the last day of nomination.
"Voters in Mainpuri want freedom from SP's Yadav clans atrocities," Katheria told TOI. In fact he had a warning for the Samajwadi Party too. "If there are disturbances during election, as is being apprehended by the people, Central government will not be a mute spectator. It is a Modi government and not a Sonia government," the national general secretary said.
While Katheria besides monitoring the election management, is a man on duty to bring dalits to BJP fold, for lodh community whose number is around 1.6 lakh here is being looked after by leaders like state general secretary, Etah MP and Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh's son Rajbir Singh and controversial Unnao MP Shakshi Maharaj. While Rajbir is in Mainpuri since Saturday, Shashi Maharaj is in the district from Sunday morning, Bipin Verma David, the BJP' by-poll in charge for Mainpuri told TOI.
Similarly, SP Singh Baghel, who contested from Ferozabad against another member of Yadav clan Akshay Yadav, is camping here for the past two days. He is trying to gather sympathy of members from Baghel and Pal communities by spreading words about how he had to face atrocities at the hand of SP government during Lok Sabha election.
Similarly, MPs from other constituencies are also being pressed into Mainpuri, Katheria told TOI.
Last but not the least, selection of Prem Kumar Shakya as party candidate has been done keeping in mind the presence of Shakya voters only second in number after Yadav votes. There are approximately 3 lakh shakya votes. "I am a farmers' son while SP candidate is a son of a king, who is using all the state government machinery and money power to manipulate voters," Shakya told TOI. However, BJP spokesperson Dr Chandramohan Singh denied BJP wooing all non-Yadav voters. "We are expecting at least 20 per cent Yadavs to vote for BJP this time," he further said.
Interestingly, despite going all out on polarisation against Yadavs, the BJP leaders claim that their performance in by-poll is strictly conditional. Call it a face saving formula or war of nerves, Verma, the by-poll incharge claimed citing past instances that the party hopes to win the election this time if central paramilitary forces are deployed on all the booths.
Until now 70 companies of paramilitary forces have been pressed into service, said Alok Gupta, the chief election agent of Shakya and added that as per his information the Election Commission has directed for a must deployment of central forces at booths that saw polling over 75 per cent.
Whatever may be the arrangement on the polling day, the result at Mainpuri Lok Sabha election will be watched more closely than any of the assembly by poll seats for the simple reason that anti-SP result might a troubling political message for Akhilesh-led SP government in state while anti-BJP result might lead to dip in the morale of party workers further who cherish to be on the winning side at least once since India became Independent and elections were held in 1952. A closely fought contest nonetheless this will be.