After giving tickets to 13 Muslims in Phase 1 seats in Uttar Pradesh elections 2022, the Samajwadi Party-RLD alliance has ‘silently’ allotted at least 10 more tickets to Muslims for Phase 2 of the polls, but has not officially declared them. Party sources said more Muslims could be allotted tickets in Phase 2 seats.
This comes after the BSP declared 23 tickets for Muslims for Phase 2 seats, taking the total count of tickets to Muslims to 40 for Mayawati’s party for the first two phases that involve 113 seats. So while the Samajwadi Party had given tickets to over 20% Muslim candidates for the first two phases of Uttar Pradesh elections, the BSP has given nearly 35% tickets to Muslims so far.
The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party is not officially declaring candidate lists any more, but on Sunday it uploaded statements on 10 Muslim candidates for Phase 2 and one Muslim candidate for Phase 3 who face criminal cases. Parties are mandated to do that as per the Election Commission of India (EC) norms. These include Muslim candidates declared by Samajwadi Party from Amroha, Meerganj, Behat, Sishamau, Bhojipura, Baheri, Chamruha, Dhampur, Shahjahanpur, Chandpur and Thakurdwara seats.
“It is likely that on some other seats in Phase 2 as well, Muslim candidates will be declared by the SP-RLD alliance to take on the BSP move,” a senior SP leader told News18.com over phone from Lucknow.
With inputs from News18
Uddhav Thackeray says 25 years wasted in alliance with BJP 