In the BJP’s first list of 149 candidates for Uttar Pradesh (UP) polls announced on Monday, the party has fielded Suchi, wife of Ashwarya Chaudhary alias Mausam Bhaiya who is in jail since September in connection with a riot case.
Suchi is the latest addition to the BJP’s plan for western UP where it has given tickets to at least four leaders accused of riots, and this is keeping in mind the soon-to-be-formed grand alliance of SP-Congress-RLD to consolidate the Muslim votes.
Of them, two leaders – Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana – are sitting MLAs from Sardana and Thana Bhavan, respectively, while Unmesh Malik will fight from Budhana. The three are accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots case.
Ashwarya is an accused in Peda riots where three Muslims were killed and several injured after Jats and Muslims clashed last September. Ashwarya is Bijnour district president of RSS affiliate Adhivakta Sangh. Suchi will be contesting from Bijnore.
With the SP-led alliance and the BSP vying for Muslim votes in western UP that goes to polls during the first two phases on February 11 and February 15, the BJP is hoping to benefit from counter polarisation of Hindus, said a source.
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