GHAZIABAD: The SP-BSP is banking on an apparent discontent among traders over the Centre’s implementation of the Goods and Services Tax ( GST ) and demonetisation to garner votes for its candidate this time. SP’s Suresh Bansal, who has been fielded by the SP-BSP combine from Ghaziabad, has been reaching out to various trade organisations. On Thursday, a number of such organisations promised support for Bansal.Although most BJP leaders dismissed the show of support for Bansal, sources said there was unease within the party over an increasing dissatisfaction among traders. On Thursday, a large number of traders’ organisations, under the banner of “Vyapari Samaj”, pledged support to Bansal, saying they were among the worst-affected communities under the five-year BJP government at the Centre.Ramkishor Agrawal, district president of the Zila Udyog Vyapar Mandal, said: “Be it the introduction of GST or demonetisation, the government’s decisions wreaked havoc on the business class. Many small scale and large industries were damaged beyond repair. In Bansal, we have got a good candidate. He represents our community and understands our pain very well.”Agrawal claimed that over 25 other organisations were rallying behind them in their support for Bansal. “The BJP always talks about protecting the cause of the traders’ community. But the maximum number of income tax raids was conducted during its regime. If I win the elections, I will take up their cause and ensure that they get fair treatment. I have got overwhelming support from my community,” Bansal said.The claim, however, is easier said than done for Bansal, given the 2017 Assembly election results. Bansal was defeated by the BJP’s Atul Garg, who comes from the Vaishya community, by a margin of over 70,000 votes. The business community has been a traditional vote bank of the BJP and the party has sent Anil Agrawal, a member of the community, to the Rajya Sabha as an MP.Ashok Goyal, a former national convener of the BJP’s Vyapr Pakosth, refuted Bansal’s claim that traders are unhappy with the saffron party over GST and demonetisation. On the contrary, he claimed that GST has helped the community. “During elections, every party and candidate makes such claims. But what the BSP-SP alliance candidate Suresh Bansal is claiming is not true. Traders are the traditional vote bank of the BJP and GST, in fact, has ended the inspector raj and made life much easier for traders,” Goyal said.

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