Farmers’ votes hold the key in BSP stronghold

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, January 19

Mangalore in Haridwar is a rural constituency where issues of farmers dominate the elections and their votes decide the fate of the candidates. The seat having 1,03,583 voters, including 47,336 women, has been a stronghold of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

BSP legislator Sarbat Karim Ansari represents the seat in the Assembly. He defeated Congress candidate Qazi Nizamuddin in the 2007 elections.

BSP legislators Sarbat Karim Ansari and Hari Das are supporting the Congress government as part of the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF). Chief Minister Harish Rawat made Sarbat Karim Ansari chairperson of the sugarcane Aawas Vikas Council.

Former MLA Qazi Nizamuddin secured 24,008 votes during the last elections on the Congress ticket but lost in a close battle to Ansari, who bagged 24,706 votes.

In 2007, Nizamuddin won the elections on the BSP ticket defeating RJD candidate Chaudhary Kulveer Singh by 3,393 votes. Interestingly, Sarbat Karim Ansari got 6,000 votes less than Nizamuddin.

The BSP has again reposed faith in Ansari, who is banking on his development works carried out in the past five years. Ansari tried to ensure that the party organisation and cadre gets strengthened. “I have tried to live up to the expectations of voters. My achievements include loans to farmers, construction of a bridge near Eidgah, upgrade of 15 junior high schools, opening of two government colleges, construction of a powerhouse, a primary health centre, recarpeting and broadening of roads and proper distribution of MLALAD funds for civic facilities,” he said.

He said the sanctioning of the Mangalore-Lakshar connecting bridge, near the Aam Khedi ghat, was one of his major achievements.

On the other hand, Nizamuddin alleged Ansari indulged in favouritism and corruption in the allocation of MLALAD funds. “Ansari was the sugarcane council chairperson but farmers struggled to get their payments. Also, the minimum support price for sugarcane was not hiked as demanded. The much-acclaimed powerhouse built by Ansari was constructed to facilitate his solar plant. His close associates were mainly benefited,” Nizamuddin said.

He added farmers faced problems in cultivating fields and the agriculture sector had suffered during the past five years.

“Though the state government provided adequate funds for projects, Ansari failed to utilise these properly. He misused funds and voters will now teach him a lesson in the elections,” he said.

BJP candidate Rishipal Baliyan said Mangalore is known for jaggery, but the Congress-led state government and Ansari did not promote it. Hundreds of youths would get employment if the state government promotes the production of jaggery.

“Health centres, community centres, adequate compensation to farmers for crop loss, opening of a polytechnic, an ITI and recarpeting of roads and new bridges will be my priority. Though population has increased in Mangalore a local transport network has not been developed. I will also focus on this issue,” Rishi added.