Though the BJP candidate from the Saharanpur Lok Sabha constituency, Raghav Lakhanpal, had won the seat with a margin of 65,090 by defeating his nearest Congress rival Imran Masood in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the former had trailed behind the latter in the Behat assembly segment by 10055 votes. However, BJP managed to increase its votes from 23623 votes in 2012 to 79365 votes in 2014. Sp has once again nominated Umar Ali Khan, the son-in-law of Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Syed Ahmad Bukhari.