Having risked his Muslim support base by his pact with former UP chief minister and the BJP?s original Hindutva poster boy Kalyan Singh, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh is hoping his gamble will pay off in the coming phases of elections in the state. The reason: Kalyan Singh?s Lodh-Rajput (LR) community will finally be a deciding factor, although it had little or no presence in the 33 constituencies?barring Banda and Kaushambi?that went to polls in the two previous phases.
The party has already launched a concerted drive, involving Kalyan as well as his son Rajvir, to win over voters in the constituencies it has identified as having a sizeable LR community.
While the SP?s Muslim vote bank is likely to have dwindled following the tie-up with Kalyan, Mulayam is now hoping to compensate for his losses by riding on an anticipated consolidation of LR votes with the party?s existing backward class support base.
SP poll managers have identified 28 districts where Kalyan Singh?s LR community has a presence. Constituencies from 26 of these districts will be going to polls in the remaining phases.
Consequently, the SP poll management is learnt to have made available a dedicated helicopter and a chartered plane for Kalyan Singh?s son Rajvir Singh, who was appointed SP general secretary ahead of polls, to tour these districts and mobilise the LR support base for the party.
Rajvir Singh, who is not contesting elections, said that he has already toured 10 of these selected districts and will be touring the remaining districts as well. ?It was a well-considered decision on my part to not contest Lok Sabha elections so that I can devote full time to mobilise support for the party,? he said.