SP declares general category candidate for OBC-dominant seat, sparks surprise

The issue of PDA communities (backward minorities) has become a hot topic in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the upcoming Ghosi by-election and the Samajwadi Party (SP) has chosen a different strategy. Even as SP leader Akhilesh Yadav talks about the issues of Backward Classes, Dalits, and other minorities, he has fielded a candidate from the general category for the Ghosi seat.
Although the upcoming election is being considered an INDIA (Indian National Democratic and Indian Alliance) versus NDA (National Democratic Alliance) battle, Akhilesh Yadav’s decision to field a general category candidate from this seat has raised eyebrows since Ghosi is an OBC (Other Backward Class) majority constituency. In the previous Assembly election, Dara Singh Chauhan, who is from the OBC community, won on an SP ticket. Chauhan resigned from the state Assembly last month and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
It seems Akhilesh Yadav has, in response to this, countered by fielding a general category candidate, Sudhakar Singh, instead of a candidate from the Backward Classes, Dalits, or Muslims. This is Akhilesh’s second such move in by-elections in the Swar by-polls Rampur—a Muslim-dominant seat—was left vacant after SP leader Azam Khan’s son Abdullah resigned. The success of fielding a general category candidate in the Ghosi Assembly seat is yet to be seen. However, looking at caste equations in the area, there are around 430,452 voters. In this election where a direct contest is expected between the SP and BJP, the caste composition holds significance as the Dalit community makes up the majority of voters in the constituency.