The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has made some interesting choices for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad. In Gautam Buddha Nagar, which includes Mayawati's ancestral village Badalpur, they have picked a septuagenarian Congress leader who recently joined the party, and in Ghaziabad, a 31-year-old Punjabi businessman with limited political experience. While some are questioning these selections, insiders believe that the combination of Rajendra Solanki's vast political experience and Anshay Kalra's "youth factor" and appeal in the Punjabi community could work well for the party in these areas.
Rajendra Solanki, aged 70, has a long history in politics, mostly with the Congress party. He started his political journey in 1974 as a student leader and has held various positions within the party over the years. Despite briefly joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2007, Solanki has remained mostly loyal to the Congress. He believes that his local roots and extensive political background make him a suitable candidate for Gautam Buddha Nagar. Solanki emphasizes his commitment to communal harmony and ending caste inequalities, praising Mayawati's developmental efforts in the area. He criticizes his opponent, BJP's Mahesh Sharma, for focusing on multiple hospitals instead of investing in a single AIIMS facility to provide better healthcare for the poor.
On the other hand, Anshay Kalra, aged 31, is a newcomer to politics but is dedicated to the BSP's ideology. He will be contesting against BJP's two-time Ghaziabad city MLA Atul Garg and Congress's Dolly Sharma. Despite his limited political experience, Kalra is determined to address Ghaziabad-specific issues and advocate for the people's everyday problems. He criticizes the BJP for its focus on flashy infrastructure projects, highlighting the farming crisis, stalled flats, unemployment, and rising inflation in Ghaziabad. Kalra comes from a family with a BSP background, and he is eager to carry forward their legacy and serve the community.
Overall, the BSP's choices for Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad reflect a blend of experience and youthful energy, aiming to appeal to a diverse range of voters and address local concerns effectively.
