In the run up to the 2019 general election, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati was so determined to field good candidates that she had reached out to former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) JD (S) leader HD Deve Gowda to suggest some names to which the latter obliged.

Gowda’s trusted aide, JD(S) general secretary Kunwar Danish Ali, fought with a BSP ticket and won the Lok Sabha election from Amroha.

Mayawati to go solo

In contrast, Mayawati has decided to contest this year’s Lok Sabha polls alone. The BSP and Samajwadi Party (SP) alliance resulted in good fortune for both parties.

BSP won ten Lok Sabha seats—up from zero in 2014—in UP while SP bagged five seats.

But this time, Mayawati announced she will fight the polls alone.

“My decision to go alone in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is ‘atal (unwavering)’ and no one should have any confusion on the issue,” the four-time former Uttar Pradesh chief minister posted on X.

She also criticised the “opponents” and said, “Our opponents look quite flustered with the fact that the BSP is contesting the elections on its strength and quite ably at that in Uttar Pradesh. That is why they seem to float fresh rumours each day to mislead the masses,” she added.

Going by past records, BSP and SP combination could have been given a tougher fight to the BJP. It would have also been a stronger alliance than the one stitched by SP and the Congress.

In 2019, the Mahagathbandhan (SP+ BSP + Rashtriya Lok Dal) pulled 39.23% votes in UP, with Mayawati alone bagging 19.43% votes.

Opposition attacks BJP over election commissioner (EC) Arun Goel’s exit

Days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha election schedule, the lone election commissioner (EC) Arun Goel resigned on Saturday. The top poll body consists of two ECs and the CEC.

The other EC post has been lying vacant since mid-February after Anup Pandey retired.

This, effectively means, the poll body which will conduct the all-important Lok Sabha election, is left with only one official who will take all decisions.

Reacting to the development, Opposition parties hit out at the ruling dispensation.

Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) said, “Why does EC Arun Goel resign right after ECI’s poll review meeting in Kolkata where he left abruptly? Apparently disagreed with Delhi’s diktat on number of phases and excessive force deployment. Will now be replaced by hand picked yes man.”

Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh floated a number of theories including the possibility of Goel joining a political party to contest election.

Meanwhile, an exclusive HT report suggested that five officials HT spoke to, said Goel and CEC Rajiv Kumar had their share of differences, including on routine matters.

After Goel’s exit, all eyes will be on the upcoming meeting to pick his successor and fill the vacancy left after Anup Chandra Pandey’s retirement.

The leader of the largest Opposition party, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, got a letter to attend a meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 15 to pick Pandey’s successor.

But now, possibilities are rife that the meeting would be rescheduled as the government will not like a situation where poll schedule is announced only by the CEC.

The move could dent the EC’s image and further question the government’s intent.

There is a strong possibility that the government would like to appoint (through a selection panel led by the PM, Chowdhury and a senior minister) an EC before the poll dates are announced.

Meanwhile, the Congress party’s top poll body, CEC, will meet on Monday evening to select the second list of candidates.