In Noida, SP likely to field Congman to keep votes together

NOIDA: The SP & Congress, despite forming an alliance, are yet to take a final decision on seat-sharing in Noida and Ghaziabad districts though ticket hopefuls are ready with nomination papers. The BJP is also holding the announcement of its candidate for the Noida seat close to its chest, giving rise to speculations. Though BJP’s Vimla Batham is the sitting MLA from Noida, the name of Pankaj Singh, son of Union home minister Rajnath Singh, is also doing the rounds.
According to sources, both BJP and SP-Congress alliance are waiting for each other to declare the names first.
Sources said the SP-Congress alliance have decided that Noida seat be given to SP and that B P Aggarwal, a businessman, contest from the seat. Aggarwal is associated with Congress but he may join SP if he is chosen as candidate. This is to ensure that there is no break-up of votes between SP and Congress after alliance.
The BJP has already given the ticket from Jewar to Thakur Dhirendra Singh and Dadri seat to Tejpal Nagar. The Noida seat, one of the most influential seats in Uttar Pradesh, has been kept on hold. The party is reportedly considering the name of Pankaj Singh, Rajnath Singh’s son, for the post.
In 2014, Vimla Batham had won the Noida assembly bypolls by defeating Kajal Sharma of SP by a margin of 58,952 votes. She had also made local connect and met residents every week via a programme–Vidhayak Aapke Dwar.
The BJP is closely monitoring the moves of the SP-Congress alliance and its candidate selection would depend on the prevailing social and political circumstances, party sources said.
“The party is likely to declare the name of the candidate soon. I am making preparations from my side and have got the nomination papers,” Batham said.
The ticket hopefuls in SP and Congress are also making similar preparations. Sunil Chaudhury of SP has also got nomination papers and is waiting for the final announcement.
The SP is likely to contest in over 300 seats out of the total 403 in the state, leaving the rest to Congress. The BSP has already fielded its candidate Ravikant Mishra from Noida and started campaigning.