Barabanki. After losing the Barabanki seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has signaled through a new organizational reshuffle that the Dalits in Barabanki, especially the Rawat (Pasi) community, will be the focus of its strategy for the 2027 Assembly elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The appointment of former MP Upendra Singh Rawat as State General Secretary and former MP Priyanka Singh Rawat as State Vice President is being used as a basis for damage control.
The BJP is not viewing its defeat as a simple electoral defeat, but rather as a weakening of its Dalit social base. These changes are being considered not just a distribution of positions, but a precursor to the 2027 Assembly elections and a precursor to the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
The Barabanki Lok Sabha seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes, and there are approximately 24 to 26 percent Dalit voters. They are in a position to determine the electoral outcome. Approximately 12 percent of these voters are Pasi (Rawat), whose party’s inclination increases the likelihood of victory. This is why Dalit leadership has always been central to electoral strategy in this constituency.
The BJP won this seat twice in a row in 2014 and 2019, but circumstances changed in 2024. The party initially expressed confidence in Upendra Singh Rawat, but after an alleged controversial video surfaced during the election, the party had to change its ticket at the last minute and field District Panchayat President Rajrani Rawat.
The BJP had hoped to retain the seat by relying on the popularity of the organization, the government, and the Prime Minister, but Tanuj Punia, the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance candidate, won. Political analysts believe that the resentment of Dalit voters, especially a section of the Rawat community, and the confusion created by the ticket change harmed the BJP. Now, the BJP has attempted to send multiple messages simultaneously by giving Upendra Singh Rawat and Priyanka Singh Rawat, both former MPs, significant responsibilities in the state organization.
Winning the trust of Dalit voters is a challenge.
The BJP faces not only the challenge of winning back the seat, but also the challenge of regaining the trust of Dalit voters. Meanwhile, Congress MP Tanuj Punia is now working to strengthen his political hold in the region. He poses a significant challenge to the BJP.
Courtesy: Hindi News