By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net
Lucknow: As Samajwadi Party begins its poll campaign with a mega rally of Mulayam Singh Yadav in Ghazipur district, it will be also a barometer for Ansari brothers (Mukhtar Ansari) to display their political clout in the eastern region.
SP has announced the beginning of its poll campaign for 2017 assembly polls from Ghazipur district, with Mulayam Singh Yadav addressing a rally on November 23. Normally Mulayam prefers to launch his political campaign from Azamgarh by addressing a rally but this time has picked Ghazipur. It is noteworthy that already Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed a rally Ghazipur on November 14.
Ansari brothers—MLA Mukhtar Ansari, Sibghatullah Ansari and former MP Afzal Ansari—will be tested during SP’s rally. This will be the first mega event in their stronghold after their association with SP, even though Mukhtar Ansari is still in jail.
Ansaris formed the Qaumi Ekta Dal (QED) ahead of 2012 assembly polls. They won two seats, with brothers Mukhtar and Sibghatullah becoming legislators. Since then their party is gaining acceptance among Muslims and even in some poor sections of eastern regions mainly in the districts of Ghazipur, Mau and Ballia.
After 2014 Lok Sabha polls, SP suffered humiliating defeat forcing Mulayam to revise his strategy. With anti incumbency tide for most of the legislators and drifting of Muslim votes due to aggressive campaigning by BSP, Mulayam touched Ansari brothers. He realized that SP is on a sticky wicket in the region and thus deliberations began with QED.
However, QED’s association with SP has its own share of differences. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav opposed its merger with SP on grounds of criminal background of Mukhtar Ansari. But his stand did not hold much ground as already several of his ministerial colleagues have criminal cases pending against them. QED was merged in a function at SP office in presence of Shivpal Yadav and later it was put on hold. But once the political squabble began in SP, QED merger was again stamped by Shivpal.
Now, the onus rests on Mukhtar Ansari and his brothers to show their clout during Ghazipur rally. A big and successful show will further cement their place in SP. They have to muster support in the region in favour of SP which is not on a strong footing in the region. Already two SP leaders Om Prakash Singh and Shadab Fatima who hail from Ghazipur have been sacked by Akhilesh Yadav.
In a way the Ghazipur rally will be a litmus for Shivpal camp as inclusion of Ansari brothers in SP was supported by him and his close aides of Ghazipur have been sacked from ministerial berths by Akhilesh. A successful rally will also increase his status as it will be the first major rally since he was appointed as state chief of SP replacing Akhilesh.
SP also has the target of surpassing the crowd which reached Modi’s rally on November 14 so as to present a picture that it still holds command among people. Further the rally will also prove that SP has overcome the internal bickering in the Yadav family.
It will be also interesting to see whether the expelled SP leaders, mostly youths who have been shown door by Shivpal due to their proximity with Akhilesh, will also contribute for the rally or remain mute spectators.
The rally may begin poll campaign for SP but in a way it will be serving more purpose for presenting SP in good picture.