On May 7th, during the third phase of India's Lok Sabha elections, the town of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh will cast its votes. With nominations now underway, BJP's candidate Duvijay Singh Shakya and SP's Aditya Yadav have both filed their papers. In a recent development, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also announced its fifth list of candidates, selecting former BSP legislator Muslim Khan to join the fray.
A resident of Kakrala in Badaun, a region predominantly comprising Muslim communities, Khan made his electoral debut in 2007 on a BSP ticket and clinched a legislative seat. His assertive tenure earned him recognition, although he did not receive the party ticket in the following 2012 election.
Khan later contested the elections representing the Peace Party. The electoral map redrawn in 2012 led to the consolidation of Ushait constituency and creation of Shekhupur Assembly. Contesting from Shekhupur, Khan did not see victory and even forfeited his deposit.
In 2017, unable to secure a BSP nomination, Khan sat out of the elections. He returned in 2022 under the BSP banner in Shekhupur but failed to make a significant impact, finishing third with 34,922 votes. In contrast, the victorious SP candidate garnered 105,531 votes.
Khan's influence within the Muslim electorate is notable. However, Shekhupur Assembly does not fall within the Badaun Lok Sabha constituency; it is part of the Aonla constituency instead. Khan has never contested Lok Sabha elections, and his competitors from BJP and SP are contesting for the first time.
The scenario portrays Khan as a seasoned politician against the less experienced BJP and SP candidates. Nevertheless, both BJP and SP demonstrate stronger grassroots presence and organizational strength compared to BSP. BSP's advantage lies in its firm control over its cadre, combined with Khan's potential to sway Muslim votes.
Expressing confidence in his electoral prospects, Khan details his winning strategy: an electorate consisting of 5 lakh Muslim and 3.5 lakh SC voters. He questions the Muslim electorate's inclination towards SP in light of various political disappointments. Khan's community, he asserts, will no longer settle for subordinate roles but instead elevate their representation, securing 5 lakh votes to elect their Muslim brother as an MP.
