BJP's UP allies push for promised caste reservation

Even as the BJP chooses to steer clear of the caste-census issue ahead of the 2024 polls, BJP's allies in Uttar Pradesh have been asking the party to speed up the process of fulfilling BJP's promises to them of giving the caste they represent a place in the reserved category lists.

Fulfilment of these demands is crucial as they play a significant role in influencing the politics of these weaker castes and shaping both the fate of the allies as well as the BJP.

On Friday, Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief OP Rajbhar met BJP president JP Nadda and urged him to speed up the process of including the Bhar/Rajbhar caste in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, one of the conditions laid by the SBSP to join the NDA earlier this year. Currently, Rajbhars are included in the OBC list.


About a week ago, Rajbhar, who is expecting a cabinet seat for himself in CM Yogi Adityanath's cabinet reshuffle, had also met the CM with the same agenda. Arun Rajbhar, SBSP pokesperson, said that the government has surveyed 17 districts to find the numerical strength as well as the current social and economic status of the communities and the report is currently with a research organisation.

SBSP's expectations regarding the 2024 polls were also discussed. The party has conveyed to the BJP leadership that it wants to contest two seats in Bihar and three in UP on its own symbol, sources told ET. In 2019, SBSP, then also a BJP ally, had parted ways with the party in the middle of the general elections on not being given enough seats, and decided to go it solo.

Another BJP ally in UP -- the Nishad party which champions the cause of the boatmen community -- has also been urging the state government to meet its demand to include 17 OBC sub castes in the Scheduled Castes list. Last year, the government had decided to prepare a proposal for the Centre for the same. However, no significant headway has been made on that front. Union home minister Amit Shah had promised to fulfil this demand at a gathering before the 2022 UP elections.