By Pradeep Kapoor
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh is witnessing intense fight by major political parties to win over caste based parties and various caste groups 11 months before crucial 2027 assembly polls. On the other hand the caste based parties and various groups are now asserting to bargain in term of seats and power sharing after the elections.
Ever since Brahmin legislators of BJP held meeting to put forward their grievances of being ignored by the leadership, all political parties came out in open to win over the powerful community.
Samajwadi Party being the main opposition party offered better deal in sharing the seats and respect in the party. So much so, former chief minister and Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav praised the Brahmin community for being honest.
Bahujan Samaj Party national President and former chief minister Mayawati also offered protection and respect to Brahmin community and better deal in power sharing. Mayawati reminded that during her social engineering formula her party had given ticket to a large number of persons belonging to Brahmin community. She also gave good representation to Brahmin community in the ministry as well as in other area of governance. Close associate Satish Mishra was virtually number two in the party .
On the other hand, Deputy chief minister Brijesh Pathak also started asserting his position to become the Brahmin face of the party and the government. Deputy Chief Minister BrijeshPathak felicitated 101 young batuk Brahmin ved scholars at his residence. He greeted them by putting teeka on every batuk brahmin boy. Brijesh Pathak also condemned the incident when some batul boys were maltreated during maghmela bathing in Prayagraj recently.
BJP leadership was shocked when party MLA Brajbhushan Lodh openly criticised kurmi backward leader and water resources minister Swatantra Dev Singh for alleged bungling in government scheme Jal Jeevan Mission. This confrontation between the minister and MLA was interpreted as bigger tussle in the party between two important castes Kurmi and Lodh rajput belonging to the Other Backward Classes ( OBC).
Eversince a kurmi leader Pankaj Choudhry Union Minister was appointed as state president of BJP, Lodh Rajput backwards started asserting for a better deal within the party in view of forthcoming assembly polls. Earlier there was a meeting of lodh community legislators and leaders attended by ministers belonging to community mounted pressure on the party leadership with show of strength.
It would be worth mentioning here that former chief minister Kalyan Singh was from the lodh rajput community and played important role in mobilising support from his community in various Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies in the state.
Similarly Apna Dal leader and Union Minister known for commanding influence in Kurmi backward community has also started asserting for better bargain in next assembly elections. During party meetings, Anupriya Patel and Asheesh Patel keep demanding more and more representation for their community in the governance.
Likewise Om Prakash Rajbhar President Suheldev Bharat Samaj Party, an ally of BJP in UP keeps demanding more representation of his party and community in the seat-sharing and governance. Om Prakash Rajbhar who is an important OBC leader wanted seat sharing in Bihar assembly election on the basis of ground support there.
Since BJP refused to accommodate Om Prakash Rajbhar in Bihar, he decided to contest the elections independently and fielded party candidates in many constituencies. Sanjay Nishad leader of the NISHAD party has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction over lack of representation to his party MLAs in the ministry. Sanjay Nishad wants active participation of his party in decision making especially issues related to his fishermen community.
There are other smaller caste groups in UP looking for better deal in terms of seat sharing in forthcoming assembly polls very crucial for ruling NDA as well INDIA alliance in the opposition. (IPA Service)
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