BSP supremo Mayawati seeks report from Haryana leaders on Baroda by-election

Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 27

BSP supremo and former UP Chief Minister Mayawati has asked the party’s Haryana leaders a report preparations regarding the upcoming by-election in Baroda assembly constituency in Sonipat district.

Mayawati wants to assess the ground situation in Baroda to take a call on whether BSP should contest the by-election.

BSP Haryana in-charge CP Singh confirmed the development.

The by-election has been necessitated by the demise of Congress MLA Srikishan Hooda.

Baroda is a rural constituency. Former Chief Minister and Congress leader BS Hooda is considered to have clout in the area.

The mood of central leaders of the political parties suggests that the coming electoral battle has assumed importance.

Hooda will try to prove that his party’s dominance and that his popularity remains undiminished, especially in a rural area, despite being out of power. The ruling BJP-JJP will also field a joint candidate.

It would be a setback for the BJP in case the Congress wins as its moral standing would take a hit.

The BSP sees an opportunity in the expected tussle among BJP-JJP, Congress and the INLD in Baroda which is preponderated by the Jat voters.

“If they put up a Jat candidates, the BSP will field a non-Jat nominee,” a senior BSP leader said.

Baroda was once a reserved SC seat. There are about 50,000 SC votes in it.