For the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is focused on bringing on board smaller caste-based parties.
After recently reaffirming its alliance with the Apna Dal faction led by Anupriya Patel, the party on Saturday announced it would fight the polls with the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, named after the 11th century Dalit king Suheldev, revered by Rajbhars (MBC) and Pasis (Dalits) alike.
Formed in 2002 by ex-BSP leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, who has in the past claimed to be a descendant of Suheldev, the party has a strong following among certain sections of backwards and Dalits. Rajbhars are one of the 17 MBC castes that have been demanding inclusion into the Scheduled Caste category and their support is expected to further push the BJP’s outreach among non-Yadav backwards, especially in Purvanchal.
BJP president Amit Shah and State president Keshav Prasad Maurya announced the decision in a rally organised by the SBSP in Mau.
In Mau, Mr. Shah addressed the ‘Ati-pichhda, Ati-Dalit mahapanchayat” organised by the SBSP. The BJP-RSS have over the years aggressively tried to portray Suheldev as a Hindutva warrior who stopped the march of Muslim invader Ghazi Mian, a nephew of Mahmud Ghaznavi, at Bahraich.
Mr. Shah’s speech was laced with those references. “Raja Suheldev not only protected the country from foreign invasion but also safeguarded its dharm,” Mr. Shah said, referring to Rajbhars as “descendants of Suheldev.”
The SBSP, however, has not been too successful politically. In 2012, it contested 52 seats and secured over 4 lakh total votes but failed to open its score. Mr. Rajbhar himself stood third.
In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, it became a part of Ekta Manch that included the Quami Ekta Dal, led by jailed MLA (Mau) Mukhtar Ansari and his brother Afzal Ansari. Mr. Rajbhar stood fourth but received 66,084 votes. Ironically, the BJP has been flaying the SP’s recent merger — later revoked — with the QED. In his speech too, Mr. Shah made references to Mr. Ansari’s merger to target the SP. When asked to explain the BJP’s position, Mr. Pathak said: “Om Prakash Rajbhar will answer that. It was his own calculation with whom he aligned [in the past]. BJP has an understanding with the SBSP and will fight polls together with it.”
