Bareilly

With a total of 18 lakh voters, Bareilly is among the largest metropolises in Western Uttar Pradesh and is the centre of the Bareilly division as well as the historical region of Rohilkhand. This seat has a high concentration of the Gangwar community which comprises over 22.5% of the voter population. Muslims stand at 28% of the total voter population. BJP MP and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Santosh Kumar Gangwar has been holding the seat since 2014 with a 52% vote share and a margin of 167,000 votes. The Samajwadi party is also a major player here and has fielded Praveen Singh Aron this time while the BJP has fielded Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, a new candidate from the seat. Apart from Gangwars, other caste groups include Lodh farmers at 5.63% and the Maurya-Shakya community at 6%. Meanwhile, Yadavss comprise over 3% of the vote. Four out of five assembly segments here are held by the BJP while SP holds one.<br><br>The election here may be a close one as the SP has been re-energising its presence in the seat and is formidably close to matching the BJP’s stature in the absence of any substantial BSP presence. SP seems to have the confidence of Muslim voters and has been receiving support from a substantial portion of Gangwars too which affects the BJP’s voter arithmetic here. Caste affiliations play a huge role in the Bareilly seat. A substantial degree of communal polarisation is also evident here, especially among Muslim voters who joined heated protests to against the arrest of Muslim cleric Ittehad-e-Millat Council chief Tauqeer Raza Khan, who had made a “jail bharo” call in protest against Hindu prayers offered inside the Gyanvapi complex in Kashi. The Gyanvapi mosque issue, raised by the chief minister himself, has raised tempers in this seat.<br><br>Farmers issues including sugarcane pricing and wages are also seen widely here. There was some participation seen here against the three farm laws passed by the government. Anti-incumbency against the BJP MP also threatens the BJP’s prospects here which is why it has fielded a new candidate this time. Development projects may save the day, as roads have been widened, and Mahadev Overhead Bridge has been completed too. The smart city mission has seen some progress. Earlier this month, CM Yogi Adityanath dedicated projects worth Rs 328 crore to Bareilly.