BJP vote bank may be hit by rebel’s party

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jind, January 22

After leaving his electoral footprint in two segments of the recently held mayoral elections, rebel BJP MP Raj Kumar Saini’s Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP) may play an interesting role in the Jind byelection.

Political analysts said LSP candidate Vinod Kumar Ashri’s electoral gain could adversely impact the BJP.

According to veteran political scientist Prof PD Sharma, Saini, an OBC leader, might aim at consolidating non-Jat votes in a predominantly urban Jind segment.

“After the violent Jat reservation movement, Saini has not kept his ambition to lead the state a secret. The LSP might not be a tough contender in Jind but it has a potential to dent the BJP’s non-Jat vote bank,” said Sharma.

Another analyst said Saini-backed mayoral candidates in Karnal and Rohtak did fairly well in damaging the BJP’s vote bank. “Komal Chandel got 10,019 votes during mayoral polls in Karnal Municipal Corporation and Arvind Jogi had bagged the fourth position by securing 8,492 votes in Rohtak, Chandel and Jogi were supported by Saini’s LSP,” said the expert.

Moreover, LSP candidate Ashri, who remained president of the local municipality twice, himself may be able to impact the BJP.