Uttar Pradesh elections 2017: Mayawati releases fourth and final list of 101 BSP candidates

BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday released the fourth and final list of 101 candidates for the assembly seats in the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The party has now declared 401 nominees out of 403 seats, bringing the number of Muslim aspirants fighting elections on BSP ticket to a total of 90 in the four lists.

While BSP’s first list of 100 candidates released on Thursday contained names of 36 Muslim candidates, Friday’s list had names of 22 aspirants from the community that accounts for nearly 20 per cent of the state’s electorate. Saturday’s list has 21 Muslim names. The final list had just 11 Muslim candidates.

The party has already shortlisted names of candidates for all the 403 seats, BSP supremo Mayawati had told a press conference earlier. Giving caste-wise details of the shortlisted candidates, she had said that apart from Muslim tickets, 87 tickets will be given to Dalits and 106 to OBCs.

Of the 113 tickets earmarked for upper castes, Brahmins will get 66, Kshatriyas 36 and Kayasthas, Vaishyas and Punjabi 11, she had said.

The BSP chief had said she had finalised the names of candidates long ago and there will be no change in it.

Divided Muslim votes translate to gains for BJP, while a consolidation will change the poll arithmetic as minorities play a crucial role in at least 125 of 403 constituencies.

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