BJP AND SAMAJWADI PARTY WORKING ON ALLIANCES BEFORE UTTAR PRADESH POLLS CONGRESS AND BSP MAINTAINING STAND THAT THEY WILL FIGHT ON THEIR OWN

Major political parties of Uttar Pradesh are looking for alliance partners to enlarge their area of influence to achieve success in the coming state assembly elections in February/March 2022.

Ruling BJP is working very hard with the support of the entire Sangh Parivar to retain power in Uttar Pradesh. The state BJP is playing

both Kamandal and Mandal cards to influence the voters belonging to all communities in the state polls.

BJP has succeeded in entering alliance with kurmi backward party Apna Daland most backward party Suheldev Bhartiya Samajwadi Party.It may be mentioned that BJP had entered into alliance with Apna Dal in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and

Mrs Supriya Patel President of the party was made minister in union ministry led by PM Modi.

Againin 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had alliance withApna Dal but after the results were announced Mrs Anupriya Patel was not inducted in the ministry. Nor her husband was inducted in Yogi ministry in UP. This action of BJP leadership not only

antagonised Anupriya Patel but also demoralised rank and file of her party.

With the result, Anupriya Patelgot in touch with other parties including Samajwadi Party national President Akhilesh Yadav. BJP leadership got the hint and Union Home Minister Amit Shahgot inthe actionand called Anupriya Patel and discussed the alliance. Later on, an alliance between BJP and Apna Dal was announced and Anupriya Patel was inducted in Modi ministry and her family members were also accommodated in different positions in the UP Government..

BJP also got success in entering into alliance with NISHAD party of Sanjay N ishad representing most backward caste especially fishing community. It may be noted that way back in 2018 BJP in general and CM Yogi Adityanath got rude shock when Sanjay Nishad’s son Praveen got elected from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat as joint candidate of Samajwadi Party and BSP. The seat was vacated by Yogi Adityanath when he became CM.

Significantly, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan incharge of UP for BJP worked hard to get this alliance which was done keeping eye
on Poorvanchal region in the state. Main opposition party Samajwadi Party is also entering alliance with different political parties to consolidate its support in state to take on BJP.

Recently former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and national president of Samajwadi Party met former minister Om Prakash Rajbhar president of Suheldev Bhartiya Samajwadi Party to consolidate support in eastern UP. Om Prakash Rajbhar also heads Bhagidari Morcha consisting of small groups representing most backward castes.

Akhilesh Yadav should be given credit for bringing dominant backward castes like Yadav and most backward caste like Rajbhar on one platform and shareseatswith them. Om Prakash Rajbhar had earlier been in BSP but he left the party complainingstyle offunctioning of Mayawati.

Later on, he formed his own party Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party and joined hands with BJP and he also became minister in the ministry headed by Yogi Adityanath. The partywas named after Suheldev, the eleventh century ruler of Sravasti now known as Bahraich. Since he
had defeated Invader Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud he became hero of Rajbhar community and BJP used him to pursue Hindutva agenda. Although Om Prakash Rajbhar was in touch with BJP and Asauddin Owasibut finally he joined hand with Samajwadi Party for assembly polls but he is not considered a reliable poll partner.

Samajwadi Party is also in alliance with Mahan Dalrepresenting maurya backward community. Akhilesh Yadav has addressed joint meetings with Mahan Dal. Samajwadi Party is already in alliance with Rashtrya Lok Dal of Jayant Choudhry who is gaining ground due to his open support to farmers agitation.

Farmers agitation has once again brought Hindu and muslims in western UP on one platform and their unity will help Samajwadi Party and RLD in a big way. Since Muzaffarnagar riots during the regime of Samajwadi Party BJP gained in every polls due to communal polarisation.

As of now, BSP national president Mayawatiand Congress leader and incharge ofUP Priyanka Gandhi have maintained to go solo for assembly polls but much depends on political events in next three months.