BJP to field Muslim candidate in UP assembly election for first time
Lucknow: In a politically significant development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to field a Muslim candidate in the upcoming assembly bypoll for the Kundarki seat in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. This move marks the first time the BJP will field a Muslim candidate in an assembly election in the state.
The Kundarki seat became vacant after the incumbent Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA, Zia Ur Rehman, was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Sambhal constituency. Sources indicate that the BJP is considering a senior Muslim functionary from within its ranks for the bypoll.
A top BJP official confirmed to The Times of India that the party’s organizational leadership is in contact with a Muslim party member. “The state leadership will consider all aspects before finalizing his name and sending it to the central leadership for final approval,” the official stated.
Muslims constitute approximately 60% of the electorate in Kundarki, a seat the BJP has never won. The BJP's decision to field a Muslim candidate is seen as a strategic move to counter the opposition, primarily the SP-Congress alliance, and to consolidate votes in the upcoming bypolls on ten seats.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP fielded Abdul Salam, former vice-chancellor of Calicut University, from the Malappuram seat in Kerala. Although Salam lost to ET Mohammad Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the decision reflected the party’s attempt to reach out to Muslim voters.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP last backed a Muslim candidate, Haider Ali, in the 2022 state elections from the Suar assembly seat in Rampur on an Apna Dal ticket, an ally. Ali lost to SP’s Abdullah Azam by over 60,000 votes. Previously, in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi won from Rampur but lost the seat in 1999 to Congress’s Begum Noor Bano. Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, another senior Muslim BJP leader, won the Kishanganj seat in Bihar in the same year and was later inducted into the Vajpayee government.
The bypolls are seen as a crucial battle of prestige for both the BJP and the SP-Congress combine as they gear up for the 2027 assembly elections. By-elections are also due in Karhal, Katehari, Milkipur, Khair, Sisamau, Phulpur, Majahwan, Ghaziabad, and Meerapur. The BJP previously won Khair, Phulpur, and Ghaziabad, while the SP held Katehari, Karhal, Milkipur, Sisamau, and Kundarki. Meerapur and Majahwan were won by BJP allies, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and the NISHAD party, respectively.
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Akash Singh says signature celebration fuels motivation, reinforces dominance
Lucknow (PTI): Pacer Akash Singh caught the eye with his unique celebration during Lucknow Super Giants' win over Chennai Super Kings, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket after a wicket, a gesture he said was aimed at "motivating" himself and "asserting dominance" over batters.
The left-arm pacer pulled out a scrappy piece of paper after each of the three wickets he took in LSG seven-wicket win over CSK, with the message reading: "Akki on fire -- Akash knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket.
The 24-year-old, who began his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals and was part of Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2023 before moving to Lucknow Super Giants, registered his best IPL figures with 3 for 26 on Friday.
"'Akki knows how to take wickets in T20 cricket', right?" Akash said when asked about the message on the piece of paper, adding that it serves as a source of motivation and helps him focus on dominating batters and delivering stronger performances for the team.
"Different things motivate different people. Some days I show the paper, some days I don't, but it reflects my mindset on that particular day. When you carry a piece of paper with something written on it, you manifest things and the most important part is when those manifestations actually materialise," he added.
Akash, who hails from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, said the strong backing from the Lucknow Super Giants support staff over the last two years had played a huge role in his growth as a cricketer.
"I've been with LSG for two years and the most important thing has been the backing from the coaches, even when I'm not in the playing XI. This year we have Bharat Arun sir, last year Zaheer sir was there...Tom Moody. The way they guide us, prepare us and keep us ready for opportunities is very important when there are 25 players in the squad," he said.
"When you are not playing, you naturally seek backing and every player wants to make the most of the opportunities he gets. The support from the captain also matters a lot and with Rishabh bhaiya backing you, the confidence grows and you are able to perform better," Akash said, referring to Rishabh Pant.
Akash said Pant had asked him to trust his strengths ahead of the clash against CSK.
"He told me that the new ball is my strength and that I can swing it both ways. So I just tried to make the best use of my skills. The wicket also had good bounce, so I focused on using the bouncer effectively,” added Akash.
On his success against CSK, Akash said his experience of playing in the IPL since 2020, including a stint with CSK, helped him understand the opposition batters better, while backing his own strengths with the ball also played a key role in his impressive spell.
"Obviously, when you play in the IPL and have shared the dressing room with some players, you understand their strengths and weaknesses. My focus was first to back my own strengths, then exploit their weaknesses and also make the best use of what the wicket was offering," Akash said.
Akash said he had sensed over the last two-three games that an opportunity could come his way after being repeatedly told to "be ready", though he admitted he was unfortunate not to get a chance earlier.
"Two days before the match, during practice, I was told to be ready," he said.
Clarifying that he had not been carrying the piece of paper in anticipation, Akash said he often notes down thoughts that could help improve his game..
"Whenever I’m alone or about to sleep, any thought that comes to my mind which can help my cricket, I write it down. The other night I got this thought and jotted it down on paper," he added.
