UP elections: Jat votes are divided, but western wind will blow in favour of BJP, says Sanjeev Balyan

As 58 seats of west UP go to the polls in the first phase, Union minister and Sanjeev Balyan tells Rajiv Srivastava what makes him confident about BJP chances against a spirited challenge from

SP-RLD

combine. . .

Where do you see BJP in the first phase. Last time, the BJP had won 53 out of 58 seats from the first phase?

Can’t talk about numbers. It is against my nature to make predictions. But I can say with authority is that the BJP is sure to get more vote share than what it got in previous elections even if it is one per cent. Seats depend on equations. But one thing is sure that the BJP will get a majority of seats from West UP.
This means the BJP will lose seats as compared to 2017. It was a clean sweep.

Every seat has its own equation. Even though I won by around 4 lakh votes in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, my margin of victory came down in 2019. However, the fact remains that the vote share which I got was more than 2014 elections. But what can I say for sure is that the BJP is heading for a big victory in the assembly polls.

As compared to previous elections, this time Jat vote looks divided. Is that hurting the BJP? Almost every caste remains divided. It is only the matter of percentage that differs. As far as Jats are concerned, they have the tendency to first show their anger and then they vote. Jats are not only voters but supporters. I won’t say there is no division. Division has always been there. It was in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

But as per a survey, 91% Jats voted in favour of the BJP in 2019?

Even this time, the BJP will get a huge percentage of Jat votes. Not a single Jat woman you will find against the BJP. Wife of any male Jat, who would be against the BJP, is for sure will vote in favour of the BJP.

But women in West UP generally side with their husband?

Things have changed in West UP. Women are now empowered and have their independent voice in various matters.

Since you are a prominent BJP Jat leader from West UP, your prestige is also at stake. For RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary, this election is being seen as a way to establish him as a Jat leader.
Election is not about one caste. But still if you talk about Jats, the atmosphere was very similar even in 2017 but you know the results. This time there are only two chief ministerial candidates. One from the BJP and other from Samajwadi Party. There will not be a chief ministerial candidate from RLD. People have seen Akhilesh’s chief ministership till 2017. I can tell you with authority that no member from my community will vote for Akhilesh Yadav.

If BJP is short in numbers, will the party forge an alliance with RLD?

There is no chance of the BJP getting less number. Why will RLD come with us even if we have less numbers? It has an alliance with SP.

What do you expect on February 10, when 11 districts go to polls?

It will be a good election. You will see Western winds blowing in our favour. In our region, it is said that wind from the West is good for crops. It also kills insects damaging the crop. Whenever, the elections have begun from West UP, the BJP has done well.

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