Hindu BJP candidate trounces 11 Muslims in UP. What led to his monster win?

BJP candidate Ramveer Thakur secured a decisive victory in Kundarki, defeating 11 Muslim contenders, including Samajwadi Party's Haji Rizwan, by a margin of over 1 lakh votes.

In Short

• Ramveer Thakur defeated Samajwadi Party's Haji Rizwan by 1 lakh votes
• BJP attributed win to outreach to Muslim Sheikhs amid alleged EVM tampering
• Haji Rizwan faced anti-incumbency and intra-community polarisation

Amid BJP's rallying cry of "ek hain to safe hain" (united we are safe), the saffron party has pulled off an unprecedented poll stunner by winning the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Kundarki Assembly seat, a Muslim dominant region, in the recently-concluded by-election. Courtesy: Ramveer Thakur.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Ramveer Thakur defeated 11 of his contenders from the Muslim community in Kundarki, with his nearest rival being Samajwadi Party candidate and sitting MP Haji Rizwan.

Thakur defeated Haji by a landslide margin of over one lakh votes. This victory, in a constituency where Muslims constitute 65 per cent of the electorate, has rewritten a political playbook.

BJP'S NEW FORMULA IN KUNDARKI

Kundarki's election result has raised eyebrows across political circles in Uttar Pradesh. While Akhilesh Yadav's party has alleged EVM tampering, the BJP claimed that Ramveer Singh's strategic outreach to Muslim voters, particularly the Sheikhs, played a decisive role in his resounding win.

In a constituency known for religious polarisation, this time the divide seemed to have shifted within the Muslim community —between the Turk and Sheikh subgroups.

MODEL OF INCLUSIVE OUTREACH

Ramveer Singh's victory is being touted as a result of his continuous grassroots efforts over the past two decades. Despite losing three consecutive elections, Singh stayed connected with the community, attending local events, helping residents, and fostering goodwill.

Even his symbolic gestures, like wearing a prayer cap and Arabic scarf, resonated with the Muslim electorate. Notably, the Sheikh community rallied behind him, while Haji Rizwan, a Turk, struggled with anti-incumbency sentiments after three terms as MLA.

ANTI-INCUMBENCY, INTERNAL DIVIDE

Haji Rizwan's defeat is attributed to dissatisfaction among voters over his performance. His controversial demand to cancel the election midway further alienated his supporters.

The discontent, coupled with intra-community polarisation, gave Ramveer Singh a crucial edge in Kundarki, a Samajwadi Party stronghold. By the afternoon of polling day, a significant shift was visible as Muslim voters turned towards the BJP.

Among Muslims, sources said, there was speculation about giving Ramveer Singh a chance to prove himself over the next two and a half years. Many voters reportedly saw this as an opportunity to test his promises, with an option to revert to the Samajwadi Party in the next election if he failed to deliver.