In Shahzadpur market of Akbarpur, the birthplace of Ram Manohar Lohia, stands an unattended statue of the socialist ideologue. It was two decades ago, in 2004, when the Samajwadi Party (SP) last won the Lok Sabha election from Ambedkarnagar.
The constituency has been a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) stronghold since 1996, represented by party president Mayawati three times in 1998, 1999, and 2004. The BSP’s dominance was breached only twice: by SP’s Shankhlal Majhi in the 2004 by-elections and BJP’s Hari Om Pandey in 2014. In 2019, BSP’s Ritesh Pandey reclaimed the seat with over 52% of the vote, defeating BJP’s Mukut Bihari Verma by a margin of over 100,000 votes.
Ritesh Pandey, son of veteran BSP leader Rakesh Pandey (now an SP MLA from Jalalpur), had previously won the parliamentary seat on a BSP ticket in 2009. However, in March this year, Ritesh switched allegiance to the BJP and is contesting the seat as their candidate. He faces another BSP turncoat, Lalji Verma, who joined the SP in 2021 and was elected SP MLA from Katehari in the 2022 assembly polls. The BSP has fielded Qamar Hayat Ansari.
Changing Political Landscape
Manoj Kumar Gaur, a sweet shop owner in the Jalalpur area, credits Mayawati with bringing development to Ambedkarnagar. “Whatever you see here today is the result of ‘Behenji’ (Mayawati). Any politician seeking votes here cannot miss Jalalpur, the road to Ambedkarnagar,” Gaur says. Another resident, Lal Bihari Yadav, predicts a close contest between Ritesh Pandey and Lalji Verma. “Only God knows who will win,” he adds. However, the BSP campaign appears weak, with few party flags in sight, according to locals.
Shankar Dayal Sharma, a voter from Akbarpur, highlights Mayawati’s contributions to Ambedkarnagar, such as making it a separate district in 1995, establishing Mahamaya Medical College, two engineering colleges, a diwani court, collectorate, agriculture research center, three power plants, eight ITI colleges, Eklavya Stadium, a women’s degree college, Ambedkar villages, housing for the poor under Kanshiram Awas Yojana, an overbridge, and roads. “She should have contested the election herself to ensure the party’s victory,” he says. Sharma criticizes the current BSP candidate for lacking recognition beyond Jalalpur.
Voter Demographics
Ambedkarnagar has around 1.87 million voters, including over 500,000 Scheduled Castes (SCs), with Jatavs forming the largest chunk at approximately 380,000. The constituency also includes around 500,000 OBCs, 350,000 Muslims, 170,000 Kurmis, 160,000 Brahmins, 130,000 Yadavs, and 86,000 Thakurs.
In Muslim-dominated Tanda and Jalalpur, Rakesh Pandey’s influence might benefit his son Ritesh, says local resident Shivram Mishra. Mohd Sultan Siddiqui from Tanda, which has over 100,000 Muslim voters, mentions the absence of a clear Muslim leader and a focus on parties addressing their welfare. Kurmis, numbering over 170,000, may support Lalji Verma, a prominent Kurmi leader with a strong political presence.
SP’s Strategy and Challenges
The Samajwadi Party is relying on Lalji Verma’s popularity. Verma, a significant figure in Kurmi politics, has represented Tanda assembly constituency for four terms and Katehari twice. He served as a cabinet minister in Mayawati’s government and was BSP’s legislature party leader in 2017. His daughter, Chhaya Verma, ran unsuccessfully in the Jalalpur by-elections in 2019. Several prominent BSP leaders have joined SP, which won four out of five assembly segments in Ambedkarnagar in the 2022 elections. However, the departure of allies like SBSP’s OP Rajbhar and Pallavi Patel could impact SP’s performance.
BJP’s Development Focus
The BJP is emphasizing development projects sanctioned over the last decade. These include two industrial corridors in Katka, Jalalpur, and Bivana. “Our welfare schemes benefit everyone, irrespective of caste. Since many voters are farmers, schemes for their welfare have significant impact,” says a BJP leader.
Key Issues
Jobs, education, and farmers’ uplift are critical issues. Rehan (20) mentions the need for more job opportunities despite the presence of two cement plants and an NTPC unit. His sister Ruby, aspiring to be a doctor, calls for improved education quality. Ambedkarnagar’s fertile land and weaving industry also need promotion, says Shobhit Pal, a resident of Urdu Bazaar locality.
