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News18
17 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
‘Roads In Congress-Era MP Were Like Om Puri, Now Like Sridevi': BJP MLA's Remarks Spark Row
Last Updated: Preetam Lodhi said that the condition of roads in Madhya Pradesh during Congress regime was like that of Om Puri, whereas under the BJP rule, roads are like late Sridevi. Remember former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad's old jibe about making the roads of Bihar as smooth as the cheeks of actress Hema Malini? Now a BJP MLA from Madhya Pradesh has stirred a political row by making an unusual comparison. BJP MLA Preetam Lodhi, who arrived in a cab at the monsoon session of the state legislative assembly on Monday was speaking about state's pothole-ridden roads during monsoon season. Making a bizarre comparison, he said that the condition of roads in Madhya Pradesh during the erstwhile Congress regime was like that of actor Om Puri, whereas under the BJP rule, roads are like actress Sridevi. 'During Digvijaya Singh's tenure (as MP chief minister), roads were like (cheeks of) Om Puri, while under the BJP, they are like Sridevi. But now it's raining. We still need to negotiate with Lord Indra," the MLA from Pichhore constituency in Shivpuri district was quoted as saying by news agency PTI when questioned about potholes and a recent cave-in incident in Bhopal. The controversial remarks sparked outrage and demands for his removal. MP Congress women's wing president Vibha Patel condemned the comment as indecent and disrespectful toward a deceased woman. She demanded that Lodhi either apologise or be dismissed by his party. 'BJP MLAs have become habituated to insulting women. Our brave women were insulted during Operation Sindoor," she said, apparently referring to controversial remarks made by the state's senior minister, Kunwar Vijay Shah, against Colonel Sophia Qureshi, the face of the official briefings during Operation Sindoor. 'The amount of training BJP leaders receive on culture and etiquette notwithstanding, the power-drunk leaders keep on insulting women. If the MLA does not apologise and if the BJP fails to sack him, we will take to the streets and won't let these MLAs sit in peace," she added. The face of Bollywood actor Om Puri who died in 2017, was scarred by a bout of smallpox in childhood, meanwhile veteran actress Sridevi passed away in 2018 at the age of 54. This is not the first time Lodhi has made headlines for his bizarre remarks. Around two months ago, while speaking on caste-based census, he had said, 'In India, the Modi-Lodhi coin will rule. The OBC community will benefit greatly from caste-based census. The Lodhis will rise." In 2022, he was criticised for his casteist remarks against the Brahman community. While addressing a students' function to mark the birth anniversary of warrior queen Avantibai Lodhi, he had said, 'The Brahmins were fooling people in the name of offering religious rituals and prayers, and grabbing money and other things from commoners. They (Brahmins) are prospering on our money and resources. Seeing beautiful women from good families, they (Brahmins) want to have food at these women's homes. They want young women seated in the front row and make elderly women sit at the back." (With inputs from agencies) view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Caste At The Core? BJP Weighs Brahmin, OBC Faces For Party's UP Chief Post
The Uttar Pradesh BJP unit has formally submitted a shortlist of six contenders to the central leadership — two Brahmins, two OBCs, and two Dalits. Who will steer the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India's most decisive political battlefield? As the BJP prepares to appoint a new Uttar Pradesh chief from a shortlist of six names, Brahmins and OBCs have emerged frontrunners in the decision that could define the party's strategy for the 2027 assembly polls. The Uttar Pradesh BJP unit has formally submitted a shortlist of six contenders to the central leadership — two Brahmins, two OBCs, and two Dalits. Sources say the high command is actively evaluating the names, with a decision likely in the next two weeks, possibly earlier. The new state chief will replace Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a Jat leader from western UP, who has been in office since 2022. Chaudhary's tenure, while focused on consolidating Jat and non-Yadav OBC support, saw the BJP suffer unexpected losses in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, prompting an urgent rethink at the organisational level. Why Caste Math Matters Caste arithmetic is at the heart of the BJP's deliberations. While explaining the importance of caste equations in UP, Shashikant Pandey, head department of political science, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, and a political expert said Uttar Pradesh has always been a political chessboard where social equations can make or break electoral fortunes. 'The BJP's setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, where the Samajwadi Party surged to the forefront, has heightened the need for a new strategy. Discontent among Brahmins, combined with a shifting OBC vote bank, is forcing the BJP to carefully weigh its next move," points out Pandey. The leaders close to the decision-making process admit that the new president must bridge both gaps while ensuring cohesion with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership. A Decade-Long Trend Since 2014, the BJP has alternated between Brahmin and OBC leaders to maintain balance among its support bases. In 2014, Laxmikant Bajpai, a Brahmin, headed the state unit as the BJP swept the Lok Sabha elections. Keshav Prasad Maurya, a Maurya OBC, was appointed in 2016 and led the party into its massive 2017 assembly win. Mahendra Nath Pandey, a Brahmin, guided the 2019 general election campaign, while Swatantra Dev Singh, a Kurmi OBC, took the reins for the 2022 assembly elections. Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a Jat, followed, but his tenure coincided with the party's disappointing 2024 Lok Sabha performance. The Brahmin Option Harish Dwivedi, a two-term MP from Basti, is emerging as the strongest Brahmin contender. Though he lost his seat in 2024, Dwivedi remains well-regarded for his organisational skills and close ties with the BJP's central leadership. Having earlier led the state's youth wing and held responsibilities as in-charge of Assam, Dwivedi is also considered close to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. His elevation would aim to address murmurs of discontent among Brahmins while injecting youth and energy into the state leadership. The OBC Contenders Among OBC aspirants, Union Minister of State BL Verma is being seen as a safe and steady choice. A long-time associate of the late Kalyan Singh, Verma is praised for his low-profile style and RSS roots. His appointment would strengthen the BJP's hold on non-Yadav OBCs, a crucial bloc to counter the SP's growing influence. Also in contention is Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, a prominent Maurya OBC leader who earlier served as UP BJP president during the 2017 landslide. Maurya is known for his connect with party workers and for asserting that the 'organisation is bigger than the government." While speculation persists about his dissatisfaction with his current role, his caste base and proven record make him a formidable candidate. Other Names in Circulation The shortlist also includes Dinesh Sharma, a Brahmin leader and former Deputy Chief Minister with strong RSS backing; Ram Shankar Katheria, a Dalit leader and former Union minister known for his Hindutva credentials; and Vidya Sagar Sonkar, a Dalit MLC recognised for his loyalty and quiet organisational work. However, party insiders suggest the real contest lies between the Brahmin and OBC candidates, with Dalit contenders unlikely to be favoured this time. A Crucial Call for the BJP The senior BJP political analysts in UP said that for the BJP, the choice of its new UP chief is about more than balancing caste equations. The leader will need to energise the cadre, reconnect with communities drifting away, and complement Yogi Adityanath's leadership without overshadowing him. 'We are looking for someone who is acceptable to both the organisation and the communities that form our backbone," a senior BJP leader said. 'This decision will set the stage for 2027." First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Key factors for next UP BJP chief: Caste, cadre, chemistry with CM
Lucknow: The much-anticipated appointment of the new UP BJP chief will be done after factoring in a slew of key parameters, including caste of the candidate, and whether he/she belongs to original cadre (the one having a robust backing of the RSS and associated with the party for at least 10-15 years). Besides, deft organisational skills and having a seamless coordination with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are the other important factors. This is learnt to have been the high point of the recent discussions between the state leadership and the party's high command even as the BJP gears up for future electoral battles, including the 2026 panchayat polls and subsequently the 2027 UP assembly elections. The caste of the new UP BJP president, sources said, was indeed one the crucial factors which the party sought to examine in a bid to blunt opposition's aggressive charge – especially Samajwadi Party's Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) poll narrative which is said to have dented the saffron outfit in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, sinking its tally from 62 to 33 in UP. As a matter of fact, the names of at least seven leaders – including three from the OBC community, two Dalit and two Brahmins – have been doing the rounds for the past many days. Among the OBC leaders which have emerged are Union minister BL Verma and two UP ministers: Swatantra Dev Singh and Dharampal Singh. Likewise, among Dalits, the party was considering the names of MLC Vidhya Sagar Sonkar and former MP Ram Shankar Katheria. BJP sources do not rule out the possibility of picking up a Brahmin for the top job. Not surprisingly, the names of former deputy CM Dinesh Sharma and former MP from Basti, Harish Dwivedi were doing the rounds. Sources said that the party planned hoisting an original cadre -- having a strong affiliation with the RSS -- as the new state chief to boost the morale of `mool karyakarta'. Sources said that the party wanted to give weightage to a leader who has been associated with the BJP well prior to its meteoric rise under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi since 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The insistence on a candidate with "original cadre" credentials, experts said, signalled BJP's desire for ideological purity and grassroots commitment. It also underscores the party's dependence on RSS's organizational machinery. Similarly, the 15-year affiliation with the party could potentially act as a litmus test for loyalty and an insider's understanding of the party's ideological ethos. The BJP, sources said, is zeroing in on a leader who could manage multiple fronts simultaneously: internal factionalism, alliance dynamics and voter outreach, essentially in the rural and semi-urban precincts. Sources said that the party preferred a leader who had a strong ground-level connection to energize booth-level workers and mobilize them for future campaigns. Coordination with the Yogi Adityanath-led government was another crucial factor which the party aimed to prioritize before finalising the name of the new state president. This, analysts said, would also help in ensuring policy synergy between the government and the party. Analysts said that Yogi was not just the administrative face of the state but also a powerful political force in his own right. BJP sources said that the party was in no mood to create any misaligned power centre to avoid a clash of authority in the state. "The party looked for someone who could complement rather than compete with Adityanath," a senior BJP leader said.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
UP Minister protests false FIR against BJP workers in Kanpur
Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh Minister Pratibha Shukla staged a dharna at a police station in Kanpur Dehat , demanding action against an SHO for allegedly filing a false case under the SC/ST Act against BJP workers. The protest, which lasted five hours, prompted the removal of the local police outpost in-charge and a departmental inquiry against the SHO, officials said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over police actions in the state. He also took potshots at Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak as he shared a video on X of the minister's purported video call with Shukla's husband, who expressed displeasure over the situation. Shukla, the Minister of State for Women's Welfare and Child Development, accused SHO Satish Singh of lodging a fabricated case under the SC/ST Act against BJP workers, calling it a 'deliberate attempt' to target them. 'This is not a previous Samajwadi regime. This is Yogi's government, and false and fabricated cases against BJP workers will not be tolerated,' Shukla told officials and media at the spot. Despite repeated efforts by Circle Officer (Sikandara) Priya Singh to persuade the minister to end the dharna, including a request to walk inside the SHO's chamber to speak to Superintendent of Police (Kanpur Dehat) Arvind Mishra, Shukla remained firm. 'Let the SP come out and speak in front of everyone,' she said, insisting that the matter be addressed publicly. 'I have never filed a police complaint in the last 25 years. But today, it's a matter of respect. I want to know under whose pressure this case was filed,' she asked the SP and DM. The protest was called off only after SP Arvind Mishra announced the removal of the local police outpost in-charge and ordered an inquiry against SHO Satish Singh, District Magistrate (Kanpur Dehat) Alok Singh told PTI. Additional SP Rajesh Pandey has been tasked with conducting a detailed inquiry and submitting a fact-finding report to the SP at the earliest. The ASP will examine the circumstances under which the cross FIR was lodged under the SC/ST Act and ensure that the investigation proceeds based strictly on facts, the DM added. During the protest, Shukla was joined by her husband and former MP Anil Shukla Warsi, who was purportedly seen talking to a senior Cabinet minister in the government, expressing displeasure over the situation. In a purported video which went viral, he was seen having an intense conversation with the senior Cabinet minister and he was heard saying: 'Were not you made the deputy CM to protect Brahmins? And now fake cases are being registered against them - they (BJP workers) are being abused and are just supposed to keep voting for you? This won't go on,' before the call ended abruptly. Yadav took a jibe on the BJP over the matter. In a post on X, he, without naming Pathak, said, 'DCM sir, first focus on your own people, then give advice to others. Earlier, there was only one DCM (Keshav Maurya) who was reprimanded, now both are reprimanded.' In another post, he took potshots at the Adityanath dispensation, saying, 'The ruling state minister herself is staging protest against her own police's actions, does the chief minister want anymore evidence?' According to officials, the controversy began after a road construction project was halted by local municipal councillor Shamshad Khan, prompting the minister's intervention. On Tuesday, an FIR was filed against Khan (corporator, Kanshiram Nagar) by contractor Zahoor Ahmad, alleging extortion, criminal intimidation, and intentional insult. On Thursday, Baburam Gautam filed a counter FIR against Abrar, Younus, Aslam, Yasir, and Shiva Pandey under various charges, including criminal intimidation, intentional insult, and relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UP BJP shortlists six names for new state unit chief's post
The Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent a shortlist of six names – two Brahmins, two from the backward community and two from the Dalit community, all men – to the national leadership that is set to pick the next chief of the state unit, a senior party leader said on Friday. Former Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma is among the six names shortlisted. (FILE PHOTO) India's most populous state is set to go to the polls in early 2027 and the choice of the state unit chief is considered among the key decisions in front of the BJP, which will look to reverse its Lok Sabha setback in the state and secure a third consecutive term in Lucknow. The BJP, which has already picked state chiefs in over 25 of 37 organisational units, is also gearing up to name its next national president. The new state chief will replace Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a Jat leader from western Uttar Pradesh, said the BJP leader. The names suggested include former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma and former Basti MP Harish Dwivedi (both Brahmins), sitting UP minister Dharampal Singh and sitting Union minister of state BL Verma (both OBCs), and former Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria and sitting MLC Vidya Sagar Sonkar (both Dalits). 'On our part, we have suggested to the central leadership suitable names that can be considered for the post of UP BJP chief and the leadership is actively evaluating them. A decision is likely within the next two weeks, possibly earlier,' said the leader. Sharma, a Brahmin leader known for his clean image and academic credentials, enjoys the confidence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the top leadership. Dwivedi, also a Brahmin, brings youth and parliamentary experience, having served as an MP from Basti and a national secretary in the party. Both Dharmpal Singh and BL Verma are from the influential Lodh community. Singh, a senior minister in the UP cabinet, has decades of legislative and ministerial experience. Verma, currently Union minister of state, is seen as a disciplined and low-profile organiser with deep RSS links. He enjoys trust within the organisation. Katheria, a former Union minister and ex-chairman of the National Scheduled Caste Commission, is known for his aggressive articulation of Hindutva and Dalit identity. Sonkar, an MLC, is a low-key but loyal party worker with influence in eastern UP. UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary said, 'We have apprised the high command of our views. Now, it is for the central leadership to declare the name of the new president for the state and this, we hope will happen very soon.'
