Latest news with #Rajbhars
Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
UP Congress in-charge: ‘Alliance with SP in place but we are prepared for all 403 seats … nobody should take us for granted'
Though the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are almost a couple of years away, all the major parties in the state are making a move for the vote of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), with the Congress reaching out to the Most Backward Class (MBCs) communities such as Nishads, Prajapatis, Kumhars, and Rajbhars. On June 14, the Opposition party launched a one-month campaign to this end. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of UP, Avinash Pande, flagged off the 'Bhagidari Nyaya Campaign' that will include awareness campaigns in villages and urban areas, and outreach to students and the youth. The party plans to reach out to the OBC youth between July 1 and 14, timing it with the college admission period. In an interview, Pande discusses what the party wishes to achieve through this one-month initiative, its efforts to rebuild in UP, the alliance with Samajwadi Party (SP), and why the Congress is preparing for all 403 Assembly seats. The aim is to dedicate this year to rebuilding the party before moving ahead. Several experiments are taking place, with the idea to rebuild in a proper, structured manner by fixing the responsibility of each and every member. The first phase of 100 days is currently ongoing, and we are confident it will be completed by August 15. Once this process is over, we will have identified and connected with 23 lakh office bearers and workers, who will be given party posts right from the booth level and panchayats to the Assembly level. Through this exercise, we are identifying faces who can be probable candidates for the future, even at the panchayat ward, Nagar Parishad ward member level. The idea is to have a panel of names ready at all levels, who can be considered for contesting polls at different levels. Once completed, our teams will have two segments, one an elected force that will be considered for elections and another for organisational posts. There may be about 20% overlap as well. Yes, panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Palika, we have decided to contest all these elections alone. By August 15, we will be able to have a panel of potential candidates, who will not just be probable candidates but also responsible office-bearers. We are prepared for all 403 (Assembly seats). Keeping the interest of the state, its people, and party workers in mind, the Congress decides at the time of the election. But nobody should take us for granted. If the Congress does not get respect and the desire of its workers is not respected, we want to be prepared for all 403 seats. The alliance (with SP) is definitely in place. It is normally monitored and nurtured by the national leadership, and we follow their instructions. But depending on the views of the state unit, we take decisions, like in the case of the panchayat elections. However, it is our moral responsibility and duty to prepare for the 403 Assembly seats. We want to make it clear that if we are making sacrifices and leaving seats, it is only to defeat the BJP and for the welfare of the state. Since the Congress was born, its sole motto has been to work for OBCs, the most backward, Dalits, Adivasis, and minorities. Rahul Gandhi went on an all-India yatra for social justice and he is of the opinion that communities should get representation as per their number. The SP came to this later, but the OBCs have always been on the agenda of the Congress. We are working on the formula of 'paanch tatva (five elements)' while rebuilding the state unit. That is why it is taking time, and such long deliberations are going on. This means I will not give clearance to any committee unless 60% of the office-bearers and rank-holders are either Dalit, tribal, minority, OBC, or women. Along with this, we are also ensuring that 50% of the office-bearers are below 50 years. After August 15. We are working on a new format in which office-bearers will not be decided first. They will first be given tasks and their activities will be monitored. Based on their performances, they will be given posts and responsibilities.
The Print
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
In eastern UP, tug of war between BJP & SP over Raja Suheldev's legacy. The prize—Rajbhar votes
If voted back to power, would install a gold statue of the revered king in the heart of Lucknow, the Akhilesh Yadav-led party declared while celebrating 'Vijay Diwas (Victory Day)' in honour of Maharaja Suheldev in Lucknow. Just hours after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath unveiled a grand 40-foot bronze statue of Maharaja Suheldev on a horse in Shravasti Tuesday, the Samajwadi Party (SP) made a bold announcement. Lucknow: The legacy of Maharaja Suheldev has become the latest battleground in Uttar Pradesh, with the ruling and opposition parties engaging in a dramatic display of political one-upmanship to honour the 11th-century king. The announcements are widely considered strategic bids to woo the influential Rajbhar community, which considers itself the direct descendants of Maharaja Suheldev and whose members hold significant sway in the electoral landscape of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Political observers and analysts maintain that the BJP and SP moves are less about preserving history and more about votes, with both the ruling and opposition parties eyeing the crucial Rajbhar vote bank. Besides unveiling the statue, Yogi earlier this year discontinued an annual fair at the Dargah of Salar Masud Ghazi in Bahraich. Ghazi is a controversial figure in the legend of Maharaja Suheldev. The story goes that Maharaja Suheldev defeated Ghazi, but later, one of the commanders of the slain Ghazi killed Suheldev. This year, Yogi 2.0 also announced plans to rename the 1,000-year-old fair in Bahraich as 'Vijayotsava' to celebrate the victory of Suheldev, with mentions of Ghazi removed from the festivities, in a move to showcase absolute reverence for the Maharaja. Professor Kavi Raj, who is with the political science department of Lucknow University, said, 'Rajbhars are considered an important OBC (Other Backwards Classes) group. Possibly, only three percent of the UP population, Rajbhars, however, claim to have an impact in over a dozen Lok Sabha seats of eastern UP such as Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Mau, and Varanasi.' 'They can play a key role in deciding the poll outcome. That said, we may now see a divide in their votes. The Rajbhar community has kept changing sides, with both SP and BJP getting their votes at different times,' he added. Politics of Maharaja Suheldev's descendants Across at least 50 assembly seats at least, the Rajbhar community members are 12-18 percent of the voters. Currently, Yogi Adityanath already has two Rajbhar ministers, Anil Rajbhar and O.P. Rajbhar, in his cabinet. According to functionaries in the UP BJP, the party started their outreach to the community even before the 2017 assembly elections, in 2016. The then-BJP president, Amit Shah, visited Bahraich to inaugurate a Suheldev statue and urged the Rajbhars to give the BJP a chance to bring development and restore the prestige of the former royal. Later, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief O.P. Rajbhar, considered one of the most significant leaders among the Rajbhar community, allied with the BJP for the 2017 assembly polls. When the BJP won the state polls, he became a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. The SBSP had won four of the eight seats it contested. However, the alliance split before the 2019 general elections because the BJP refused to give in to the SBSP's demand for three seats. Since going their separate ways, the BJP has intensified its Rajbhar push, not only appointing Anil Rajbhar as a minister in the Yogi government but also putting him in charge of the Ballia and Bahraich districts, which have a sizable Rajbhar presence. It has also made another community leader, Sakaldeep Rajbhar, a member of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Parliament. O.P. Rajbhar switched and allied with the SP in the 2022 assembly polls, but ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he again sealed an alliance with the BJP, with the party inducting him as a cabinet minister in March this year. During the Lok Sabha elections, SP candidate Rajeev Rai defeated O.P. Rajbhar's son, Arvind Rajbhar, in the Ghosi seat. After the victory, SP leaders claimed that a high number of Rajbhars voted for their party in the LS polls. As the political narrative around Maharaja Suheldev intensifies, what remains unknown is whether symbolic gestures will translate into electoral gains or the community will again chart its course independently. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Who is 1991 batch IPS Rajeev Krishna, UP's 5th acting DGP in a row
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SP neta garlanded, then gets slapped on dais at public function in UP's Jaunpur; Akhilesh Yadav blames BJP for 'atrocities on PDA society'
A screengrab of the video that went viral on social media VARANASI: Senior politician Mahendra Rajbhar was slapped multiple times after being garlanded by Brajesh Rajbhar of the Suheldev Swabhiman Party at a function organised to mark Maharaja Suheldev's birth anniversary in the Jalalpur area of Jaunpur district on Tuesday. Mahendra had been referred to as 'Katappa' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was fielded as the Bharatiya Janata Party and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) alliance candidate against gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari from the Mau Sadar seat in the 2017 assembly elections. However, after being closely associated with SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, Mahendra opened a front against him and formed his own Suheldev Swabhiman Party in 2019. He joined the Samajwadi Party in 2022 and came close to Akhilesh Yadav . Reacting to the attack on Mahendra, Akhilesh posted on X, "The violent attack on veteran Mahendra Rajbhar is another condemnable example of the ever-increasing humiliating behaviour and atrocities on the 'PDA society' under BJP. If BJP's negligence is not involved in this attack, the assailant should be immediately arrested and punished for his act." Jaunpur SP Kaustubh told TOI in the evening, "We have taken note of the viral video of the assault on Mahendra Rajbhar, and a complaint has also been received against Brajesh Rajbhar at Jalalpur police station. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo Police investigation has started in this matter, and appropriate action will be initiated as per its outcomes." The complaint stated that the attack was carried out at the behest of SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, whose closeness with Mahendra was not hidden in Rajbhar politics before the duo parted ways. Brajesh had hosted a function in Jalalpur to honour Rajbhar icon Maharaja Suheldev. Leaders from the Rajbhar community within the Samajwadi Party were also present at the event, in which Mahendra was called by Brajesh to the dais to be felicitated. The viral video of the event showed Brajesh in his speech stating that the community's plight is due to its own people. "When our own people are at the helm, they do not advocate for their community but prefer to serve themselves and work for their families. There are many such leaders who have become tyrants, possessed by the spirit of Ghazi," he said. Saying that the name of Maharaja Suheldev is being exploited by those who are deceiving and looting the community, he appealed to the Rajbhars to abandon 'such people'. Immediately after saying this, Brajesh garlanded Mahendra and then started slapping him multiple times until others present at the dais caught him. The surprise action led to chaos at the function, and people gathered there struggled hard to normalise the atmosphere.
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Winning UP the goal, how Akhilesh Yadav plans to deal BJP a blow in 2027
Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh may be more than a year-and-a-half away, but Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has already started spelling out his promises to voters, focusing on the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) who have mostly backed the BJP in recent elections in the state. According to party insiders, all these will be included in the SP's election manifesto. In his latest such promise on Friday, Akhilesh said if voted to power, the SP would install a statue of Raja Suheldev at the Gomti riverfront in Lucknow. 'The sword in Suheldev's hand will be made of 'ashtadhatu (eight elements)' mixed with gold,' he said. According to SP insiders, Akhilesh made the announcement to honour the wishes of Mahendra Rajbhar, chief of the newly floated Suheldev Samman Swabhiman Party. While SP spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said Akhilesh was receiving a lot of suggestions from the people, as well as social organisations, sources said the leadership had directed its workers to discuss the promises made by the party chief in programmes held across districts. 'He is making these logical, feasible and important promises with a long-term vision. More such promises are in the offing and all these will be included in the party's 2027 manifesto,' Verma said. Rajbhars who claim affinity with King Suheldev and are categorised as OBC are estimated to make up 18% of the electorate in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Keeping this in mind, political parties have been courting the community over the years and have tried to claim the legacy of Raja Suheldev. Stitching up a coalition of the disadvantaged groups such as OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis through increasing representation in power structures has been one of the key BJP strategies since Narendra Modi 's rise in national politics in 2014. This social coalition, along with ideological support from the BJP's core support base of upper castes, has helped it sweep heartland states, with its win in UP in 2017 being one of the major examples of the success of this strategy. The BJP, for instance, has been invoking the king since 2016 and has projected him as a 'saviour of the Hindu religion' as Suheldev purportedly defeated Mahmud Ghazni's nephew. In a public meeting in the run-up to the 2017 Assembly polls, then BJP national president Amit Shah urged people to give the BJP a chance to 'restore Suheldev's glory', and months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a postage stamp in the king's honour. At present, the BJP relies on its ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) to tap into the community's votes. Breaking this successful social coalition of the BJP is one of the SP's major challenges, and that is why, in recent years, it has increasingly pivoted towards its PDA strategy, which stands for a focus on the 'Pichhda (Backward), Dalit, Alpsankhyak (Minorities)'. Akhilesh on Friday alleged that the Yogi Adityanath -led BJP government was ignoring the grievances of Dalits and OBCs and promised to restore the old pension scheme, abolish outsourcing in government jobs if voted to power, and grant agricultural crop status to betel leaf. Recently, Akhilesh also sent a political signal to the OBCs and Dalits on the birth anniversary of former Congress MP Shivdayal Chaurasia, who belonged to a backward caste and was a vocal advocate for Dalit and OBC rights. He had worked with the likes of Dr B R Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram. 'Once we come to power, we will honour Shivdayal ji by building his memorial on the Gomti riverfront,' he said on March 13. According to SP secretary Ram Lakhan Chaurasia, the community makes up around 5% of the state's population and are seen to rever the former MP. To mark International Women's Day and considering how women were seen to have played a key role in influencing the electoral outcome in the Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, Akhilesh on March 8 promised to introduce the 'Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana'. The party has also roped in popular television actress Ankita Lokhande to popularise the scheme among the masses. Apart from the direct benefit transfer for women, the scheme also promises mobile phones, laptops, and 'PDA pathshalas' for skill development. The party has also set its sights on artistes, especially folk singers, who are seen to be a key part of the election campaign. At a meeting of the SP cultural cell in December last year, the party ensured them 'due honour' and promised to 'accommodate them in the government' if voted to power.
