Political parties to woo voters ofnew wards on development issue

Prayagraj: As the election fever is slowly picking up for the two Lok Sabha seats of Prayagraj, all the political parties are trying to woo the voters of the erstwhile 207 villages that have recently become part of the Prayagraj limits post delimitation.With a population of approximately 4,28,206, these villages have now been included in 20 wards of the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC).

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expresses confidence in gaining voter support to include them in the city limits and implement development plans, the opposition parties highlight development delays as a reason for residents and voters to oppose BJP and pledging to deliver desired outcomes upon election.After the delimitation process carried out four years ago, the count of wards within Prayagraj city has risen from 80 to 100. The new 20 wards have been established in urban regions including Naini, Jhunsi, Phaphamau, and Jhalwa. Of these, nine wards fall under the Allahabad parliamentary constituency, while the remaining 11 come under the Phulpur parliamentary constituency.Following the recent delimitation, eight former wards in the city have been discontinued. The areas belonging to these wards have been amalgamated with the neighbouring wards.While the Nishad community voters are anticipated to have a significant impact in the trans-Yamuna regions within these fresh wards, in Jhunsi, the Patel and Yadav voters hold a majority, Patel voters having the decisive potential.According to a renowned political analyst and former vice-chancellor of Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) Prof MP Dube, “In the newly formed Phaphamau wards, the Patel, Yadav, and Maurya communities boast a considerable voter base, potentially altering the political landscape.” Local development may emerge as a crucial concern in the majority of the new wards, he added.Manoj Jaiswal, the BJP in-charge of Allahabad Lok Sabha district, stated, “Following the delimitation, the Naini and Chaka wards, situated within the Allahabad constituency, have been encompassed within the PMC boundaries.”The BJP is trying to woo the voters towards prioritizing local development, which is likely to reflect in their party’s performance during the Lok Sabha elections. BJP’s Phulpur Lok Sabha in-charge Balendu Mani Tripathi said, “The condition of roads and electricity is fine in most of the villages included in the extended areas of the PMC in Phulpur.” However, he acknowledged that the people here are seeking a permanent solution for the drinking water supply problem. He said that the state government has prepared a road map to address this issue, which has alleviated the concerns of the residents.Tripathi maintained, “The party received the support of the voters here in the municipal elections, and we are confident that they will extend full support in the LS elections as well.”Ujjwal Raman Singh, the INDIA bloc candidate from Allahabad, emphasized, “Even after four years of the delimitation, the people of these areas are still awaiting the promised development and facilities. They are now required to pay taxes on par with the city residents.” He expressed disappointment, stating, “All the so-called development plans remain confined to papers, and the people here have yet to witness any benefits of being part of the city limits.” He further added, “The people here are inclined to vote against BJP and in favour of leaders who genuinely work for their betterment.”