Nitish plans to contest 100 seats in U.P. polls

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is making a serious bid to make political space for the Janata Dal (U) in the upcoming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, and plans to contest at least 100 seats out of the 404. This is part of his party’s larger strategy to expand beyond Bihar, into U.P. and Jharkhand, the two States where some social coalitions appear favourable to the party.

The crowded political stage in Uttar Pradesh may not look like it can accommodate Mr Kumar, but his six meetings in the State, including one in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi has encouraged him, those close to him say.

Contiguous regions

“In 1994, when the Samata Party was there, the base was largely Kurmi voters (Mr Kumar’s own community) and some sections of non-Yadav OBCs like Kushwahas. His 11-year stint at the helm of affairs in Bihar has consolidated this base along with large sections of the extremely backward classes. Large swathes of Uttar Pradesh, especially the eastern parts, are contiguous, culturally and socially with Bihar. This is also the belt where the Kurmis and Kushwaha are dominant,” said a source. Kurmis are around 4.5 per cent of the population, with other non-Yadav OBCs totting up an impressive 17.5 per cent of the population.

In the past, Mr. Kumar’s Janata Dal (U) had allied with the Sone Lal Patel-led Apna Dal, which commands the Kurmi vote. However, Sone Lal Patel’s daughter and Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel, is now a minister in the Modi government.

“We have initiated talks with former BSP leaders Babu Singh Kushwaha and Swamy Prasad Maurya for a broader non-Yadav, OBC axis,” said an aide to Mr. Kumar.

Corrections & Clarifications:

This article has been edited for a factual error.