RLD ONBOARD, BJP LOOKS FOR DOMINANCE

HAVING acquired more political muscle through Jat support by taking Jayant Chaudhury-led RLD onboard, the BJP is aiming for a dominance on the eight seats-Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura-set to vote on April 26, while the Opposition bloc is ready to put a stiff fight.

- NAMITA BAJPAI

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP, while facing the challenge from SP-BSP-RLD grand alliance, won seven of these seats. Only Amroha was won by the alliance.

In 2024, the BJP has reworked its strategy by allying with the RLD and allotting the Baghpat seat to the party that has Jats as its core support base.

To regain lost ground, the SP has tied up with the Congress. The BSP is going it alone. In this phase, both SP and Congress are contesting on four seats each as per their seat-sharing arrangement. While the SP has fielded candidates in Meerut, Baghpat, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Aligarh, Congress will contest in Ghaziabad, Mathura, Amroha and Bulandshahr.

The fate of former Union minister Mahesh Sharma, who is seeking a third term on the BJP ticket from Gautam Budh Nagar, Ramayan fame actor Arun Govil in Meerut and actress Hema Malini, who is seeking a hat-trick from Mathura, will be decided in this phase.