The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Sp-cong alliance sealed at top, troubled on ground
SCRAPPING IN GORAKHPUR
THE VEHICLE of Congress candidate Kamal Kishore, better known as “Commando”, who was part of a National Security Guard team that guarded Rajiv Gandhi, in Gorakhpur’s Khajani is an unusual sight. It carries a folded flag of ally Samajwadi Party (SP) on one side and that of Congress on the other. Kishore was forced to fold the flag after SP workers reportedly objected to him putting it up, as the party has fielded its candidate from Khajani, a reserved constituency.
Kishore said that SP workers removed a party flag from one of his campaign vehicles, leading to a scuffle and a police complaint. The tension has persisted despite Congressleaderrahulgandhiand SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s newfound friendship. The alliance may have been sealed at the top, but irritants remain on the ground.kishore,whowaselected as an MP from Bahraich in 2009, has refused to remove the SP flag, insisting he is the official alliance candidate.hecitedsizeablenumber of Yadav and Muslim voters in hisconstituencywhileexplaining his refusal. He claimed that the Yadavs are with him.
Gorakhpur epitomises the give and take, confrontation and adjustments between the Congressandsp.ingorakhpururban constituency, the SP withdrew its candidate, Rahul Gupta, in favour of Congress nominee Rana Rahul Singh. Former SP leader Chinta Yadav is the Congress candidate from Caimpiyargan (Gorakhpur). Congress leaders privately admit that the SP had loaned Chinta Yadav. They say that she was asked to contest on Congress symbol since the party got the seat as part of the seat-sharing arrangement. The Congress and the SP are pitted against each other on 16 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
In Khajani, it is a free for all. Kishore,whowearshisproximity tothegandhifamilyonhissleeve, blamed the SP’S local leadership fortheconfusion.“akhileshyadav shouldcomeheretocampaignfor me and show honesty,” he told The Indian Express.
SP district president Prahlad Yadav called Kishore an “outsider” and a weak candidate. He claimed that even the Congress district president had conveyed this to his leaders. But the candidate was not withdrawn. His suggested that the Congress’s top leadership supports Kishore. “You very well know the strength of Congress in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress got 2,500 votes in Khajani in 2012. How he is contesting...only the Congress knows,” he said. “.... We are workers. We got the symbol and we are working to make (SP)’S cycle victorious,’’ he said. “If the party had not given us the symbol, we would have been working for the alliance candidate.’’
Kishore belongs to the Dhobikanaujia community, which has around 23,000 voters. SP candidate Rupavasi is from the Beldar community that has over 35,000 voters. BJP MLA Sant Prasad also belongstothebeldarcommunity. Kishore claimed to have support of all castes.