Kalpi in Jalaun to test whether Thakur-Nishad rivalry has ended

As the BJP ally Nishad Party has fielded a Thakur candidate in Kalpi assembly constituency in Jalaun district, the upcoming assembly election will test the social fabric of the region where Thakurs and Nishads have been at loggerheads for the past four decades.

On February 14, 1981, bandit queen Phulan Devi's gang had killed 20 people in Behmai, including 17 Thakurs, in revenge for sexual atrocities on her. There are 84 villages of Thakurs in Kalpi and Madhogarh assembly constituencies. Since then, the Thakurs and Nishads have never been at ease. Now, a section of Kalpi voters are raising the Behmai massacre issue ahead of the polls.

In 2017, the BJP's candidate Narendra Pal Singh had defeated BSP candidate Chhote Singh, also a Rajput, with a margin of 51,000 votes. Now the BJP has given this seat to its ally, Nishad Party, which has fielded former BSP leader Chhote Singh.


The SP first gave ticket to Sree Ram Pal but later fielded Vinod Chaturvedi. Pal is now contesting on a BSP ticket. Kalpi has the highest 80,000 votes of Thakurs, followed by 70,000 votes of Jatavs. Pal community has 45,000 votes and Nishads have 25,000.

A section of Thakurs in Kalpi are upset over giving the seat to Nishad Party. "There are two issues that are being discussed among the voters. One is giving the seat to Nishad Party," Atul Mahera, a BJP worker from Mahera village in Kalpi, told ET. "The Thakur community is still not able to digest the Behmai massacre and they are opposed to voting for the Nishad Party. The second issue is the election symbol of Nishad Party, a plate with food, which doesn't have the same recognition as the BJP's lotus.

On February 14, the 41st anniversary of the Behmai massacre, several Thakur youths from Kalpi expressed their anger on Facebook posts.

"There are some issues among Nishads too but we are largely with the party," said Rajesh Kumar Nishad of Khorasan village. "The issue is among some sections of Thakurs. We are completely with the Nishad Party and we will vote for Chhote Singh."

Hirendra Singh Nishad of Parasan village said the opposition is essentially from Santram Sengar, who was eyeing a BJP ticket and could not get it. "His people are opposing it. But voters are supporting the Nishad Party," he said.