Battle for Agra: BJP eyes fourth win in contest with INDIA, BSP in Dalit dominated Lok Sabha seat

Politics in Agra is a unique blend of history and Dalit influence. The Lok Sabha seats, often dubbed as the ‘Dalit capital’ of the north comprises 19 lakh voters from the Scheduled Caste community and play a key role in shaping the electoral dynamics of the city. Voting in Agra will be held on May 7 in Phase 3 of Lok Sabha elections.

Agra: The city of Taj Mahal will go to polls on May 7 in Phase 3 of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections with the BJP, which has held the seat since 2009, eyeing a fourth win. The saffron party has fielded sitting MP Satya Pal Singh Baghel against Samajwadi Party’s (SP) Suresh Chandra Kardam and Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) Pooja Amrohi.

The Dalit majority seat comprises 25 per cent of its population belonging to the Scheduled

Caste (SC) category, giving it the name of Dalit capital of northern India. The city boasts of a political landscape mingled with history and tourism. Despite its policy of reeling in fresh faces in recent elections, the saffron party is relying on Baghel to clinch his fourth term in a triangular contest with BSP and SP in Agra’s intricate dynamics of Dalit politics.

The recent ‘Anusoochit Jaati Mahasammelan’, held by the BJP on March 7, highlights the significant role of Dalit politics in shaping Agra’s political dynamics. The coming together of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi in Agra underscores the importance of wooing Dalit voters. Their joint rally during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ showed a strategic move aimed at garnering support by addressing issues of Dalit welfare.

Dalit, Muslim votes play vital role

According to the 2019 data, the Agra Lok Sabha seat comprised approximately 19 lakh voters. Dalits and Muslims constitute two significant vote banks in Agra, with an estimated number ranging from 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 votes each. The Vaishya community, alongside Punjabis, represents the second most pivotal vote bank in Agra, followed by Brahmin community voters.

Key candidates in Agra Lok Sabha election

In the seat-sharing arrangement in India, the Samajwadi Party has nominated Suresh Chandra Kardam, a former BSP worker and a prominent figure in the shoe business from the Jatav community. Kardam, 63, previously contested the mayoral nomination for the BSP from Agra in 2000 and secured the second position. Analysts anticipate that he will erode the BSP’s traditional vote bank.

Although designated as an SC seat, the BSP, under Mayawati’s leadership, has faced challenges in securing victory in Agra since the party’s establishment in 1984. This time, the party picked Pooja Amrohi as its candidate in a renewed effort to challenge the existing political landscape. Pooja boasts a political lineage as the daughter of the prominent Congress figure Satya Behan, who was a former Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh.

Political history

Agra’s importance stretches beyond electoral victories. The city’s prominence in the footwear industry, offering significant employment to Dalits—particularly the Jatavs— highlights the economic currents shaping political preferences. These factors have manifested in electoral results, with past assembly polls reflecting shifting dynamics.

In 2007, during Mayawati’s tenure as Chief Minister, the BSP secured victory in six out of nine assembly seats in Agra. In 2012, despite her absence from power, the BSP still managed to win six out of nine seats. However, in 2017, the BJP swept all nine seats, with the BSP coming second in seven. This trend persisted in the 2022 assembly elections.

Agra’s legacy as a stronghold of Dalit history is deeply rooted, with B R Ambedkar’s final speech in 1956 at the Chakki Paat Jatav Basti serving as a poignant reminder. Ambedkar’s address to a gathering expressed disappointment with educated Dalits for prioritizing selfinterest, a sentiment that resonates even today.

The BJP’s strategy of blending Hindutva with local caste dynamics has proven fruitful. On the other hand, the BSP faces the challenge of bridging the gap between rhetoric and grassroots mobilisation. A cohesive vision and effective grassroots engagement are crucial in reshaping political fortunes.

Courtesy : News Nine

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