The Thakur community is very vocal for being ignored in distribution of tickets by BJP. Thakur community is also upset the manner in which Gen. VK Singh two time MP was dropped this time. There have been several meetings and panchayats of Thakur community in various districts in Western UP where community leaders condemned BJP leadership for ignoring them in ticket distribution.

Whether the anger of powerful Thakur-Rajput community actually damages the chances of BJP candidates in ongoing Lok Sabha in general and Western UP in particular is yet to be seen. The second phase polling will take place in eight Lok Sabha seats - Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Ghaziabad and Bulandshahr.

The analysis of these seats reveals that Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat and Gautam Budh Nagar seats are likely to see a triangular contest between the ruling NDA bloc opposition INDIA bloc and Bahujan Samaj Party. Mathura and Ghaziabad will see BJP versus Congress while BJP will face Samajwadi Party in Aligarh and Bulanshahr.

It will be interesting to see whether Bollywood star Hema Malini is able to win Mathura for third time. She is facing Mukesh Dhangar from INDIA bloc. BJP is sure of its win but the INDIA candidate is getting big response from the crowds including youth. Hema Malini has her charm. She may finally go through but there will be a tough fight.

Meerut is also witnessing interesting election as ArunGovil who played the role of Lord Ram in iconic TV serial Ramayana is BJP candidate. He is campaigning with the help of Bollywood actors who played the role of Sita and Luxman in Ramayan serial. During the high profile campaign voters are also being informed about Ram temple at Ayodhya. PM Narendra Modi also campaigned for Arun Govil.

The second phase will also decide whether BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali who recently joined Congress will repeat success in Amroha seat or not.

The electoral fate of Ghaziabad BJP MLA who had been minister in Yogi government during his first term will also be decided in second phase.

PM Narendra Modi addressed meetings in Meerut and Aligarh and held road show in Ghaziabad. CM Yogi Adityanath, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other important ministers from UP also addressed meetings for BJP candidates.

INDIA alliance organised rally featuring Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav in Amroha and held joint press conference at Ghaziabad.

The land of Mahabharat Baghpat is set to witness interesting fight involving RLD candidate Rajkumar Sangwan who is candidate of BJP-RLD alliance, Amarpal Sharma of INDIA bloc and Pawan Bansal of BSP. It would be worth mentioning here that BJP MP former police commissioner Satyapal Singh paved way for Sangwan.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath invoked Mahabharat connection of Baghpat during joint campaign with RLD President Jayant Choudhry who is grandson of former Prime Minister Charan Singh who at one time dominated the politics of jatland including Baghpat. (IPA Service)