Kairana, Noorpur: How RLD, allies turned tide
MEERUT: Elections in west UP are largely contested on communal lines but, this time around, a united opposition and relentless campaign by Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Ajit Singh and his son Jayant Chaudhary shifted the focus away from religious polarisation.
In view of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly raking up the issue of Muzaffarnagar riots ahead of by-elections for Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur assembly seats, political analysts were expecting polarisation of votes on religious lines.
However, Ajit Singh and Jayant Chaudhary carried out hectic campaigning to bridge the gap between Hindus and Muslims in the region and win over Jats who had drifted away from the RLD to support the BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Jayant alone addressed street meetings at 145 locations, including villages that were ravaged by Muzaffarnagar communal riots in 2013, while Ajit Singh urged the people to revive communal harmony and trust in the region.
According to political analysts in the region, the decision of Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav to skip campaign in Kairana also helped the united opposition to foil the BJP’s attempt to make Muzaffarnagar riots an election issue. In a public meeting ahead of the by-election, chief minister Yogi Adityanath held the SP responsible for Muzaffarnagar riots and challenged Akhilesh to campaign in Kairana.
According to SP leaders, the party’s election in-charge and former minister Balram Singh Yadav played a vital role in keeping Muslim voters together by forging an alliance between political foes Nahid Hasan (son of Tabassum and SP MLA from Kairana) and Congress leader Imran Masood, who has influence in Muslim-dominated Nakud and Gangoh constituencies.
BSP chief Mayawati did not campaign in the by-polls.
At least 64 people were killed and over 50,000 were rendered homeless after communal riots broke out in Muzaffarnagar in 2013 following clashes between Jats and Muslims.
The riots came as a major blow to the RLD. Jats and Muslims were its traditional voters since the time Ajit Singh’s father and former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh brought the two communities together by giving them the common identity of farmers.
However, after the riots, Muslims parted ways from the RLD and a fair percentage of Jats supported the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 assembly elections. To stage a comeback, it was crucial for the RLD to once again win the support of its traditional Jat and Muslim voters.
In their attempt to emerge as champions of communal harmony, Ajit and Jayant toiled hard to convince voters to forget the past and support its candidate Tabassum Hasan who was pitted against BJP’s Mriganka Singh, daughter of former MP Hukum Singh whose death necessitated by-election in Kairana.
The people of Kairana said the voters had rejected the politics of polarisation. Mohd Irfan, a resident of Muslim-dominated Sonta Rasoolpur village, said the most important outcome of the by-election was that it was not fought on communal lines.
Gulzar Ali and Mohd Mehkar, also residents of Sonta Rasoolpur, said contrary to previous elections people voted for the candidate of their choice without thinking on religious lines.
Asked why the Muslims supported the RLD, another villager Gul Mohammad said: “We know who were behind the riots and what their motive was. There are many people who do not want to fall in the trap again.”
Lauding Ajit Singh and Jayant for their efforts to prevent polarisation in the region, Congress leader Imran Masood said the two leaders were true champions of communal harmony.
Kairana Lok Sabha constituency has over 5 lakh Muslim and 2 lakh Jat voters. The RLD had the challenge of consolidating its vote bank and getting the support 2 lakh dalit voters to defeat the BJP. The execution of the plan began with the launch of ‘Jan Samvad’ (public debate) by Ajit Singh to establish direct communication between Hindus and Muslims over tea.
The first ‘Jan Samvad’ was held in Muzaffarnagar on February 14 after which similar programmes were organised in Shamli, Baghpat, Meerut and other districts.
“‘Jan Samvad’ and ‘Bhaichara’ became an effective way to reach out to the people and understand them. It helped in bridging the rift between the two communities after the riot. After Kairana by-election result, the BJP will not be able to play Hindu-Muslim card,” Jayant said.
The RLD also brought prominent Muslim leaders of the region back into the party fold.
Muslim leaders like Kokab Hamid, Amir Alam, Dr Mairajuddin and Ashraf Ali rejoined the party and helped their leaders to develop bond between Hindus and Muslims.
Jayant’s strategy to avoid big rallies and convene small meetings besides the use of social media also clicked with the voters.
“RLD’s social media campaign ‘Ganna vs Jinnah’ triggered a discussion as to which issue was more important to them. This question baffled the rivals as payment of sugarcane dues emerged as a major issue in the election,” said RLD state spokesman Sunil Rohta.
President of west UP unit of the BJP Ashwani Tyagi, however, said the party fought election on the issue of development.
Jayant brought Tabassum’s brother-in-law Kanwar Hasan – who was contesting against Tabassum on Lok Dal ticket – in RLD which prevented drifting of Muslim votes.
“In reply to huge rallies of the CM, DyCM, ministers, BJP MPs and MLAs, we decided to hold nukkad meetings to set a direct dialogue with the people. It helped us understand the problems of the people and they also moved closer to us,” said Nahid Hasan.
“The BJP did everything possible to polarise election on religious lines but people foiled their attempt. People love Akhilesh Yadav and his indication was sufficient for them to teach the BJP a lesson. He did not need to campaign in the region,” he said.