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BJP’s junior allies in Uttar Pradesh ask it to behave itself

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7 years ago

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BJP’s junior allies in Uttar Pradesh ask it to behave itself

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]If it is a sign of things to come, BJP’s stock seems to be going down – at least among its allies, if not among the voters.

After its troubles with allies in Bihar and Maharashtra, now it is the BJP’s junior allies in Uttar Pradesh expressing their unhappiness and threatening to ditch the alliance if the party does not give them due consideration.

Soon after the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) walked out of the BJP alliance in Assam, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and Apna Dal (Sonelal) threatened to part ways if the BJP did not change its attitude to smaller parties in the alliance in Uttar Pradesh, said a report in The Indian Express (IE).

Backward Classes Welfare minister and SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar gave the BJP a 100-day ultimatum to fulfil his demands of implementing reservation within the 27 per cent OBC quota.

Apna Dal (S) coordinator and Union Minister Anupriya Patel said that her party may take “any decision” if the state BJP leadership continued to ignore her party workers.

“Every time there is an election, the BJP gets votes with help from allies. Later, they refuse to take the allies along. The Apna Dal has come to know this now but I know it for last 21 months. Be it the Shiv Sena, Upendra Kushwaha or Ram Vilas Paswan, none of them are in an understanding with the BJP at present,” Rajbhar told The Indian Express on the sidelines of a monthly party meet in Lucknow.

“If the BJP wants to take us along in the polls we are ready, otherwise we are going to contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats on our own. If the BJP implements quota within the 27 per cent reservation then only we are with them,” he said.

He threatened to part ways with the BJP if they did not meet his demands within 100 days. “If they do not implement our quota demand, I will part ways with the BJP. The committee (Social Justice Committee) report is already with the Chief Minister and he should implement that,” he said.

Recently, a four-member social justice committee has reportedly recommended that 79 OBC communities should be subdivided into three categories. As per the recommendation, the categories should be Backward Class, Most Backward Class and Extremely Backward Class with respectively seven per cent, 11 per cent and nine per cent reservation.

Taking a dig at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adiytanath, Rajbhar said, “There was a time when we had an understanding but it cannot continue anymore. You be angry or happy, we now have our separate ways,” he said.

“Yogi has only to save cows and I have to give education to the poor. We are different,” was his terse remark.

Earlier, speaking at the inauguration of her party office at 1-A Mall Avenue, Anupriya Patel said her party did not have complaints with the central BJP leadership but rather with the party unit in UP.

Anupriya Patel alleged that the Yogi-led BJP government in the state wants backwards to fight among themselves in the name of reservation.

Denying the recommendations of the Social Justice Committee report, Patel alleged that the state government is not getting Census done on the basis of caste. She also demanded that the distribution of quota within the 27 per cent OBC quota should be on the basis of the population of every community.

“The UP government is not ready for caste-based Census and thus wants backward to fight among themselves. We also demand that reservation should also be considered in contractual jobs as well. Even backwards should be posted at Tehsil and Police Stations in a respectable proportion,” she added.

“We are not going to compromise with the honour of our workers. Our party has always fulfilled the coalition dharma and we will keep doing so. We raise the demands of our workers at every forum but our workers were ignored. Now, we had to come to the media,” she said.

Apna Dal (S) president Ashish Patel suggested that instead of worrying about the Opposition alliance, the state BJP leadership should think about their own allies.

Ashish Patel said, “Small parties and allies are being ignored in the BJP government. Their demands are not being met. The upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha Elections can go anyway if the allies are not given due respect and importance. The BJP should not force anyone to become a ‘Vibheeshan’, especially at a time when SP-BSP alliance can pose a grave threat to the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.”

Earlier, the Apna Dal (S) had announced last month that its president Ashish Patel and Anupriya will not participate in any events led by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh till their issues with the BJP are resolved.

Ashish Patel, while addressing a press conference in Mirzapur, had said: “The BJP should learn from the losses in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assembly elections. The SP-BSP alliance is a challenge for the NDA, whose allies in UP are upset. The leadership at the Centre must do something, or else the NDA would suffer in UP.” He also said that smaller parties were feeling ‘ignored’ by the BJP.

However, the BJP had dismissed reports of rift and termed it a “minor misunderstanding”. BJP leader and Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey had said there was no anger or ill will, adding there may have been some misunderstanding whose solution will be arrived at.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Mamata Banerjee warns BJP, EC over Bengal polls, says they will be accountable

Mamata Banerjee holds BJP and Election Commission responsible for any incidents during Bengal polls, raising concerns over officer transfers.

Published

27 mins ago

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March 17, 2026

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India responsible for any untoward incidents in the state during the upcoming assembly elections, following the transfer of key officials.

Addressing concerns over administrative reshuffles, Banerjee said that changes involving senior bureaucrats, including the chief secretary and home secretary, could affect governance and law and order in the state during a crucial period.

The Trinamool Congress chief also announced candidates for 291 constituencies for the elections scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29.

Criticising the Election Commission, Banerjee alleged that the transfers were being carried out in a manner that benefits the BJP. She questioned the timing of the decisions and said such actions weaken the state administration at a sensitive time.

She further raised concerns about disaster management and essential services, stating that experienced officials familiar with the state’s situation have been replaced. According to her, this could impact administrative efficiency if any emergency arises before the new government is formed.

Protecting Bengal’s identity

Banerjee emphasised that the election is not merely about forming a government but about safeguarding Bengal’s identity and existence. She accused the BJP of misusing central agencies and attempting to influence the electoral process.

She urged that elections should be conducted peacefully, without external interference, and in line with democratic principles. The chief minister also expressed confidence that her party would return to power with a stronger mandate.

Appealing to voters, she called for support for the Trinamool Congress, asserting that the people of Bengal will ultimately decide the outcome and protect their democratic rights.

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Mamata Banerjee writes to poll chief over officers’ reshuffle, calls move arbitrary

Mamata Banerjee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, calling the reshuffle of senior Bengal officials arbitrary and raising concerns over constitutional norms.

Published

12 hours ago

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March 17, 2026

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mamta banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising strong objections to the recent reshuffle of senior bureaucrats in the state ahead of the assembly elections.

In her letter, Banerjee described the move by the Election Commission of India as “arbitrary” and expressed “deep concern” over what she termed a unilateral decision. She urged the Commission to refrain from adopting such measures in the future.

The Chief Minister pointed out that while the Election Commission does have the authority to make administrative changes during elections, past practice has involved consultation with the state government. According to her, the Commission would typically seek a panel of officers from the state and make its selections from that list, maintaining what she called constitutional propriety and administrative convention.

Banerjee warned that bypassing this process could undermine the institutional credibility and long-standing legacy of the poll body, and may also affect the foundational principles of the constitutional framework.

The controversy stems from the Commission’s decision, taken soon after announcing election dates, to remove several top officials from election-related duties. These include the state’s Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Kolkata Police Commissioner, and Home Secretary.

The Commission has maintained that the reshuffle was aimed at ensuring a peaceful and violence-free electoral process.

Reacting sharply, Banerjee alleged bias in the decision-making, claiming that the removal of the Chief Secretary indicated an anti-women stance. She also accused the Commission of selectively targeting officers, suggesting that the move favoured individuals aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress escalated its protest, staging a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day.

Responding to the criticism, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Election Commission is a constitutional authority, adding that questioning its decisions in Parliament is inappropriate and unproductive.

The Commission has appointed a new Chief Secretary in place of the outgoing official as part of the reshuffle.

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BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala assembly polls

The BJP has released its first list of 47 candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, including three former Union ministers.

Published

1 day ago

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March 16, 2026

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BJP releases list of candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of 47 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.

Voting will take place for all 140 seats in the state assembly, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. A party or coalition needs at least 70 seats to secure a majority in the House.

Among the candidates announced in the first list are three former Union ministers — Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan and George Kurian.

Key candidates announced

Kerala BJP chief and former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been fielded from the Nemom assembly constituency. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Chandrasekhar lost the Thiruvananthapuram seat to three-time MP Shashi Tharoor, but he led in the Nemom assembly segment during that contest. The party believes this performance strengthens its prospects in the constituency.

Nemom has held political significance for the BJP since 2016, when senior leader O. Rajagopal won the seat and became the party’s first-ever MLA in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. The victory marked the BJP’s initial breakthrough in the state assembly.

However, the seat returned to the Left camp in the 2021 Assembly election when V. Sivankutty defeated BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Former Union minister V. Muraleedharan will contest from the Kazhakoottam constituency, while George Kurian has been nominated from Kanjirappally.

Other candidates in the list

According to the list released by the party, several other candidates have also been announced for key constituencies. P. C. George will contest from Poonjar, R. Sreelekha from Vattiyoorkavu and Padmaja Venugopal from Thrissur.

The BJP has also nominated Sobha Surendran from Palakkad, Navya Haridas from Kozhikode North and Kavitha K. S. from Sulthanbathery, a reserved constituency.

Raji Prasad will contest from the Kunnathur seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, while R. Rashmi has been fielded from Kottarakkara.

Political backdrop in Kerala

Kerala’s electoral politics has traditionally alternated between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). However, the BJP has been attempting to expand its presence in the state.

The alternating trend was interrupted in the 2021 Assembly election when the electorate returned the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government to power for a second consecutive term.

The BJP believes recent electoral performances and local body successes have strengthened its position as it prepares to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

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