Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls: BJP up against the Muslim challenge

While the party is hoping for a division of minority votes in February 14 polls, many in the community say it is time they didn't waste their power

The Rohilkhand region to Delhi’s northeast and Shahjahanpur to the tip of the Avadh region vote on February 14 in the second phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh. Between them, they contain 55 seats being contested by 584 candidates. As in most parts, the contest has narrowed to a straight fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (SP-RLD) combine, with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the fray in places — mainly on account of its candidates.

In Rohilkhand, too, the BJP maintained its victory streak in the 2017 election, picking up 38 seats, while