The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen Paras Nath Rai, a prominent figure owning several colleges in eastern Uttar Pradesh, as its candidate for the Ghazipur Lok Sabha constituency. This decision puts an end to the speculation surrounding the potential candidacy of the current lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, who had contested and lost in 2019. Rai, who has a history of collaboration with Sinha, will now face off against Afzal Ansari of the Samajwadi Party, brother of the late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in the upcoming elections.
In the previous elections, Afzal Ansari contested from Ghazipur on a Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance ticket, defeating Manoj Sinha. Rai’s nomination comes as part of BJP’s strategy to field fresh candidates in several constituencies across Uttar Pradesh. The party has already announced candidates for most of the seats in the state, making significant changes in its lineup, with the exception of Rae Bareli, where speculation about a potential Gandhi family candidate persists.
The BJP has strategically retained the suspense surrounding certain constituencies, including Kaiserganj, where the incumbent MP is former Wrestling Federation of Bharat chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In Prayagraj, Rita Bahuguna Joshi has been replaced by Neeraj Tripathi, son of the late Keshari Nath Tripathi, former governor of West Bengal.
Meanwhile, in Mainpuri, considered a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, the BJP has nominated former SP leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Jaiveer Singh as its candidate, challenging Akhilesh Yadav’s wife. Similarly, in Ballia, the party has replaced Virendra Mast with Neeraj Shekhar, son of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, who recently joined BJP after a stint with the SP.
The spotlight remains on Ghazipur, where Afzal Ansari’s victory in 2019 marked a significant upset for the BJP. Ansari, who has since joined the SP, received condolences from Akhilesh Yadav following the recent demise of his brother, Mukhtar Ansari, who passed away in Banda jail on March 28. The dynamics of this constituency promise an intriguing electoral contest in the upcoming polls.
Additionally, the BJP has strategically reserved certain seats for its allies, such as Ghosi for SBSP, and Baghpat and Bijnor for the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The party is also expected to allocate seats to other allies like Apna Dal (S) and Nishad Party, aiming to consolidate its position in the state ahead of the elections.
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