BJP, SP pick candidates for MLC Graduates’, Teachers’ seats; caste equations in focus
The BJP and Samajwadi Party have announced their candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council elections, focusing on specific caste-based voting blocs. The election, which targets graduates and teachers, is being used by both parties to test their electoral strategies ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
Why it matters
These elections serve as a bellwether for political influence and caste-based coalition building in India's most populous state.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday announced six candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council election to Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies, fielding three Brahmins among them.
The BJP has fielded Kedar Nath Singh from the Varanasi Graduates’ constituency and Dr. Pramod Mishra from the Varanasi Teachers’ constituency. Hari Kishore Tiwari has been fielded from Agra and Dhruv Tripathi from Gorakhpur-Faizabad. The party has nominated Ashok Kumar Rathore from Prayagraj-Jhansi and Dinesh Goel, who belongs to the Vaishya community, from Meerut.
The Samajwadi Party (SP), which already announced candidates on Monday for all 11 seats going to the poll on October 23, has largely followed its Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) formula in its selections.
The SP has fielded Yadav candidates from Varanasi, Jhansi, Gorakhpur and Agra, besides Danish Akhtar from Moradabad and Parminder Bhati from Meerut.
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