Kundarki Triumph: "United Hindus, Safe Hindus," Divided Muslim Votes Propel BJP to Victory
BJP's landslide win in Kundarki, a seat with 64% Muslim voters, is being attributed to unified Hindu support and divided Muslim votes. Ramveer Singh's focused campaign, emphasizing inclusivity and engaging with the Muslim Rajput community, paid off. SP’s Haji Rizwan’s controversial statements and weak strategies led to a significant decline in their vote bank compared to 2022. BJP’s outreach efforts and PM Modi’s message on unity resonated with voters.
The historic victory of BJP candidate Ramveer Singh Thakur in the Kundarki Assembly constituency of Moradabad left political analysts wondering. After a streak of 31 years, BJP won the Muslim-majority seat with a phenomenal margin of 1,44,791 votes; it defeated SP's Haji Rizwan in the seat, which was known for a consolidated Muslim vote bank. It has made quite an impressive shift in voting trends.
BJP's Winning Strategy: Unity and Outreach
This victory reflects the effectiveness of BJP’s campaign strategies. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s slogan, “Bantenge to Katenge,” (Division leads to loss) coupled with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Ek Hain To Safe Hain” (Unity ensures safety), resonated well with voters. The BJP’s outreach included door-to-door meetings in Muslim-dominated areas, led by the party’s minority wing, fostering a direct connection with the electorate.
Kundarki’s voting trends underscored a significant split in the Muslim vote, historically dominated by Turk Muslims. With 11 Muslim candidates contesting, the community's votes scattered, benefiting BJP’s sole Hindu candidate, Ramveer Singh Thakur. His approach, symbolized by wearing a skull cap and Arabic scarf during campaigns, indicated an effort to engage rather than alienate Muslim voters.
Muslim and Hindu Vote Dynamics
There are 64% Muslims in the Kundarki electorate, consisting of approximately 40,000 Turk Muslims and 45,000 Rajput Muslims. The BJP monetized these differences, exploiting the schisms within the community but ensuring that they received solid support from Hindu electors who comprised the remaining 40% of the electorate.
Controversial Statements and SP's Decline
SP candidate Haji Rizwan's inflammatory remarks including terms like "traitors" for Muslims who voted for the BJP further alienated a part of the voters. And then there were comments like "Even a dog with an SP collar will win." All these meant that the party suffered nearly a lakh fewer votes compared to 2022.
The Leadership of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
CM Yogi Adityanath played a very key role, personally managing BJP's campaign in Kundarki. Thereby, his strategic intervention ensured that the party's message spanned every voter and further solidified BJP's grip in this constituency.
This election can be said to be the paradigm shift as reflected in Kundarki when BJP's strategy of unity at grass root level reshaped loyalties and gave an unprecedented victory.
