With minorities, SP-RLD takes Cong’s place here

The Congress might find the going tough in Muzaffarnagar with key ally Ajit Singh joining forces with the SP. While the Muslim votebank was ...

The Congress might find the going tough in Muzaffarnagar with key ally Ajit Singh joining forces with the SP. While the Muslim votebank was firmly behind Congress candidate Saeeduzama last time, this time around, they might switch sides.

Saeeduzama was contesting with Singh’s support last time. He was the minority community’s best bet to defeat the BJP. This time around, they hold no grudge against him, only they would rather back the candidate put up by the Rashtriya Lok Dal-SP combine, says Shahid, a resident of Khalapaar, a Muslim-dominated locality.

The Congress had a free run in the Meerut-Moradabad division, where Muzaffarnagar was one of the constituencies, even during its worst days. Saeeduzama also had a good image — he was active in Parliament, raising several questions in the House.

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The joint RLD-SP candidate, Munnawar Hasan, is also a seasoned hand in politics. He has the kisan followers behind him along with Muslim voters. A split of the Muslim votes with the BSP is further making the contest tough for the Congress this time. The BSP has fielded transporter Surat Singh Verma from the seat.

The BJP, on the other hand, is hoping for the split in Muslim votes to steer them through. It has fielded Thakur Amar Pal Singh, former MP from the neighbouring Meerut seat.

	PM checkmates Ajit

			BAGHPAT: Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee took everyone by surprise while campaigning in RLD leader Ajit Singh’s turf when he brought up the issue of a separate statehood for Western UP, an issue that had till now been kept out of this election. Singh, who has been the most vocal supporter of the issue, has kept mum this time, apparently because his new ally, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, is against the division of the state. But the BJP checkmated Ajit at the eleventh hour. — ENS

The only respite for the Congress is the resentment within the SP and RLD over Hasan’s candidature. Local heavyweights have switched to rival parties in a move to undercut the combine’s candidate.