Earlier, the BSP had named Atahar Khan as its candidate from Ambedkar Nagar.

On Saturday, Pandey joined the BSP after holding a meeting with Chief Minister Mayawati. As SP nominee, Pandey was defeated by BSP’s Sher Bahadur Singh in Jalalpur in the last Assembly elections.

According to sources, the BSP changed its candidate because Katiyar may polarise the election on communal lines and the presence of a Muslim candidate would have helped him.

Moreover, the recent murder of one Ram Anjor Yadav, in which Atahar Khan’s relatives have been named accused, would also have come handy to Katiyar.

This is second seat where the BSP has changed its Muslim candidate in the last few days. Earlier, the party had given the ticket to Sukhda Mishra in Kanpur, in place of Saleem Ahemad, whom it had been projecting as its candidate for several months.

The Amebdkar Nagar constituency includes most of erstwhile Akbarpur constituency, which Mayawati had represented in the past. Sources in the SP said the party may also change its decision to field Shankh Lal Manjhi, following the announcement of BJP and BSP candidates for the seat.