It’s BSP’s Attar Lal vs ‘outsiders’ in Ateli
As BSP’s Attar Lal arrives in the Ahir-dominated Bhilwara village in Ateli constituency, locals greet him by weighing him with ladoos (sweets) on a scale for distribution among the audience.
Lal was accompanied by former MLA Naresh Yadav, who won as an Independent from Ateli in 2005, to the venue while Lal’s supporters chant, “Na jaati par na paati par, mohar lagegi haathi par.”
“For 15 years, I have been dedicated to Ateli, sharing in the community’s moments of sorrow and joy. I’ve participated in 40 protests advocating for Ateli becoming a subdivision. We’ve organised sit-ins to address issues of buffalo and agricultural theft,” Lal states.
Pitted against debutant Arti Singh Rao from the BJP, daughter of Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh, and former MLA Anita Yadav from the Congress, he emphasises, “They live in Delhi, Gurugram or Rewari. None are from Ateli. Even if our people spend Rs 5,000 on a taxi to meet them, there’s no guarantee that any work will get done.”
As Lal begins his speech, he promises to visit Bhilwara first after winning the poll. “If you send me to Chandigarh, I will end discrimination in grants for villages. I will provide jobs to youth so they can get married. We will bring industry here,” he asserts. Among his promises are free LPG cylinders for women and a monthly pension of Rs 7,500 for the elderly. “A multipurpose stadium, a sports university and a SAI centre are essential for our area,” he adds.
Targeting his rivals, he breaks into Altaf Raja’s song “Yeh to thehre pardesi, saath kya nibhayenge, election ke baad pehli gaadi se Delhi laut jayenge,” eliciting applause from the audience.
“After my performance in 2019, several parties offered me ticket, but I chose BSP,” he notes, as Mayawati’s nephew Akash Anand held a rally for him today.
“An EVM malfunctioned in 2019, halting the counting. Suddenly, after a few hours, Sita Ram from the BJP was declared the winner. Now, in 2024, he has been denied a ticket and there’s a lot of anger against him. People want me to win,” Lal says.
Rajbir, a resident of Bhilwara village, comments, “Attar Lal has a good chance. People here want change.” However, he adds that he might switch to whichever party is in power, either BJP or Congress.
In nearby Bachod village, also dominated by Ahirs, Rakesh Kumar remarks, “Attar Lal and Arti Singh Rao are in a tight contest. There are more Ahirs, so Rao has a better chance. Anita Yadav may be relegated to the third place.”
However, Pradeep, another resident of Bachod, opines, “It’s a battle of prestige for Rao Inderjit Singh. If he comes to appeal, it could become one-sided.”
Ateli has over 95,000 Ahir votes (48 per cent), 15,000 Brahmins (8 per cent), 10,000 Jats (5 per cent), and over 8,000 Rajputs (4 per cent). There are also more than 32,000 SC votes, constituting 16 per cent.
Both BJP and Congress have fielded Ahir candidates. Attar Lal is a Rajput. Aware of this, Lal reminds voters of the ‘jaativad ka zeher’. “I have worked impartially for all. ‘Chattis biradari’ (all communities) are supporting me,” he concludes.
Yeh to thehre pardesi
Targeting his rivals, Attar Lal breaks into Altaf Raja’s song “Yeh to thehre pardesi, saath kya nibhayenge, election ke baad pehli gaadi se Delhi laut jayenge,” eliciting applause from the audience
