Sixty-year-old Mohammad Azam, a resident of Maghar, located East of Khalilabad, is worried by the dwindling textile trade and hike in the prices of raw material.
Once a prosperous weaver who used to supply textile products across Uttar Pradesh, he sells cosmetics on the streets of Maghar these days for livelihood. “Weavers are battling for survival due to the apathy of successive state governments. Handloom trade has come to complete halt. We need help from the government for survival,” he said.
The tale of Mohammad Inyatullah, resident of Ashrafabad village, is no different. He managed to install a powerloom to give a thrust to business by increasing production. “I failed to get the desired result due to a fall in the sale of textiles. We lack the tactics to market the products,” he said.
Financial aid, marketing of products, regular power supply and modern power looms will definitely revive the textile sector, said Mohammad Niyaz, resident of Amardhouba village. The weaver community raised the issue during the BSP government (2007-12) and Samajwadi Party government (2012-17) but no one paid heed, he said.
Again, political parties are wooing the weaver community with fresh promises for they know that the community’s vote is crucial to win the election. “We have given an opportunity to the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in the past. In the 2012 assembly election, the weavers expressed faith in Peace Party chief Dr Mohammad Ayub.
“Ayub emerged as the supreme leader of the weaver community. Not only Peace Party made inroads into the Muslim vote bank of SP, BSP and Congress but it secured victory on four assembly seats. He did little for the welfare of the community. In this election there is no taker for the Peace Party and Ayub’s influence is limited to few pockets of the district,” said Sadatullah Ansari.
Also Read | Lok Sabha elections 2019: Sant Kabir Nagar constituency in Uttar Pradesh
In Sant Kabir Nagar parliamentary constituency, there is triangular contest between BJP candidate Praveen Kumar Nishad, BSP candidate Bheeshma Shankar alias Kushal Tiwari and Congress candidate Bhalchandra Yadav. The Peace Party has extended support to the Congress candidate.
The alliance candidate is depending on the support of Muslims, Dalits, Yadavs and Brahmins, whereas BJP candidate hopes to get the support of the Nishads, upper caste, backwards and extremely backward communities. Congress candidate Bhalchandra Yadav is working on Yadav- Muslim formula to win the seat.
The BJP denied ticket to sitting MP Sharad Tripathi, who was involved in the infamous shoe attack on the BJP MLA during a meeting. After an alliance with the Nishad party, the BJP gave a ticket to Praveen Nishad who defeated the BJP candidate in the by-poll on Gorakhpur seat as alliance candidate.
BJP strategists hope that along with the dominant Nishad community, Praveen Nishad will get the support of other backward castes, upper caste and Vaishya community, considered the traditional support base of the BJP. By winning the Nishad party to its side, the BJP is trying to send a message that despite Yadavs rallying behind the SP-BSP alliance, it has the support of other backward communities.
The BJP is also highlighting the development projects launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June last year. Along with laying the foundation stone of the Khalilabad- Balrampur Railway line, he also announced a package for the development of Maghar- nirvan spot of mystic poet Sant Kabir. The construction of the Sant Kabir Academy is in full swing.
BSP candidate Kushal Tiwari said, “We are also highlighting the development projects launched under the BSP and SP governments. BSP chief Mayawati announced the formation of a separate district. Several developments projects were launched during her four terms as CM of the state.
Congress candidate, Bhalchandra Yadav is cutting into the vote bank of the BSP and BJP. He is raising the issue of outsider versus son of the soil to win the support of the voters. Both Kushal and Praveen are residents of neighbouring Gorakhpur district. To win the support of the Yadav community he has launched a donation campaign in the Yadav-dominated villages - ‘one vote and Rs 10 note’ is his slogan as he moves from one village to another collecting fund for campaigning. A former MP, he hopes to turn the tide against the alliance with the rally of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, BJP candidate has polled 3.50 lakh votes, BSP candidate Kushal Tiwarri has bagged 2.50 lakh votes and SP candidate Bhalchandra Yadav polled 2.40 lakh vote.
First Published: May 10, 2019 13:34 IST
