Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Silent in shadows, BSP hopes to shine in some Bihar seats this time

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has fielded its nominees on all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, may upset the apple cart for both National Democratic Alliance and the Grand Alliance, at least in some seats falling in western Bihar bordering Uttar Pradesh.

In the past, the party had made its presence felt in seats like Shahabad, Saran, Maharajganj, Siwan, Gopalganj, Valmikinagar and West Champaran, besides putting up a very good performance in Sasaram, Buxar and Karakat, which have been its traditional supporters for some time now.

Of its 40 nominees, M A A Fatmi has withdrawn his nomination for the Madhubani seat.

“Our aim is not only to field party nominees but to win seats,” BSP’s Bihar unit president Bharat Prasad Bind said. “Mayawatiji had already addressed an election meeting at Betiah in favour of Kunal Kishor Vivek, our candidate from West Champaran seat, and her meetings in Sasaram and Buxar are scheduled for May 11.”

On April 26, when Manoj Kumar, BSP nominee from Sasaram, filed his nomination at Bhabua, there was an impressive turnout of supporters.

“You cannot rule out the BSP’s vote base in the region. The crowd is set to disturb sleep of those who were, till yesterday, sure about their win,” a senior RJD leader of Sasaram said, while predicting a surge in favour of the BSP at a time when a large chunk of non-Dalit voters was still indecisive over NDA or GA.

Besides Dalits, the party also has support among Muslims. Its nominee Mohammad Jama Khan lost the 2015 assembly election from Chainpur in Sasaram Lok Sabha seat by only 671 votes. Shamin Ahmad polled 24,000 votes in Karagahar assembly constituency.

Party bets on Sasaram, Buxar and Karakat

BSP has fielded Manoj Kumar for the Sasaram seat, where former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar (Congress) and sitting MP Chhedi Paswan of BJP are in the fray.

It has fielded Sushil Kushwaha in Buxar, where Ashwini Kumar Chaubey of BJP and Jagadanand Singh of RJD are in the fray.

The party has given ticket to Raj Narayan Tiwary for Karakat, where Upendra Kushwaha of RLSP and Mahabali Singh of JD-U are also in the fray.