This time the election contest on Milkipur assembly seat of Ayodhya has become very interesting. BJP has made Chandrabhan Paswan its candidate from here. This decision has proved to be a big surprise for political pundits as well as the strategists of Samajwadi Party (SP). Chandrabhan Paswan may not be a very popular face at the national level, but BJP has adopted a special strategy through him.
SP vs BJP: Battle of equations
SP has fielded Ajit Prasad, son of Awadhesh Prasad, who comes from the Pasi community, from this seat. Pasi votes play a decisive role on this seat.
- Chandrabhan Paswan also belongs to Pasi community. BJP has made him its candidate as part of its strategy to distribute the Pasi votes.
- The BJP hopes that the division of Pasi votes with support from Brahmins and other communities will hurt the SP.
Caste equation of Milkipur
- Pasi community: Large number of effective voters.
- Brahmin community: Another important vote bank.
- Yadav community: Around 55,000 voters.
- Muslim community: also in good numbers.
SP’s traditional equation has been based on Yadav-Muslim and Pasi votes. BJP is trying to bring the Pasi community into its fold to break this equation.
BJP’s strategy: ground hold and big message
By fielding Chandrabhan Paswan, BJP has given a strong message to the Dalits and Pasi community.
- Social message: By fielding a common Pasi leader as its candidate, BJP wants to increase its acceptance among the community.
- Local hold: Chandrabhan Paswan has been an active leader in the region. His wife is a District Panchayat member, due to which his local influence is strong.
- BJP’s prestige at stake: In 2022, SP’s Awadhesh Prasad was the MLA from this seat, who later became a Lok Sabha MP. BJP wants to avenge the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections by winning this seat.
BJP’s high-profile campaigns
BJP has given its full strength to win this seat.
- Deployment of seven ministers: Many ministers of UP government including Swatantra Dev Singh, JPS Rathore, and Surya Pratap Shahi are continuously camping in the area.
- Activism of grassroots workers: The team of ministers and local workers is active in mobilizing voters.
SP’s challenge
SP has fielded its strong candidate Ajit Prasad on this seat.
- Ajit Prasad is the son of two-time MLA Awadhesh Prasad.
- SP’s trust rests on the Yadav-Muslim-Pasi equation.
impact of results
Milkipur seat is very important not only for the assembly elections but also for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for both BJP and SP.
- BJP hopes to get a new strong Dalit leader through Chandrabhan Paswan.
- This seat is a chance for SP to prove its traditional hold and the strength of the caste equation.
Election dates and role of voters
- Voting date: 5 February 2025.
- Last date for election campaign: 3 February 2025.
- Election environment: Both the parties are in the fray with full strength, due to which the contest is likely to be very exciting.
