Why are OBC leaders angry with BJP?

Ground Report | New Delhi: OBC leaders angry with BJP; Voting for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh is going to start next month and in the meantime, on Tuesday, well-known OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the BJP and Yogi government.

The Indian Express reported that Swami Prasad Maurya's resignation will give impetus to the campaign against the state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that Uttar Pradesh has a government of 'upper castes'. On the other hand, BJP is trying to mobilize OBCs with it.

ALSO READ: What are 10 severe threats in next 10 years we are going to face?

According to the newspaper, BJP held a meeting in Delhi on Tuesday regarding the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, BJP State President Swatantra Dev Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders of the party were present in this meeting.

But the resignation of Swami Prasad Maurya ruined all the plans in the meeting. In such a situation, speculations are being made that many more BJP MLAs may leave the party. Swami Prasad Maurya has said that more than 15 MLAs will leave BJP.

OBC leaders angry with BJP?

BJP organization general secretary Sunil Bansal, BJP's election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, co-in-charge Anurag Thakur and national general secretary BL Santosh were also present in the BJP meeting. Apart from this, party chief JP Nadda and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Radha Mohan Singh were also to attend, but could not come due to being infected with Kovid.

According to the newspaper report, party leaders say that BJP will have to rethink its election campaign in UP because Maurya's departure has sent an important message to the backward castes. Till now Prime Minister Modi and Yogi Adityanath have been the faces of BJP's election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

ALSO READ: NEET PG Counselling 2021: Process and Important changes this time

There is also a growing concern in the BJP that because of Maurya, the Samajwadi Party may get an edge. Samajwadi Party wants to expand its trusted vote bank Yadav-Muslim. Akhilesh Yadav is also trying to connect non-Yadav OBCs with the Samajwadi Party. According to an estimate, non-Yadav OBC voters are more than 35 percent in Uttar Pradesh.

Swami Prasad Maurya is the most high-profile leader to quit the BJP before the elections. Swami Prasad Maurya had joined BJP in 2016 from Bahujan Samaj Party. In the Bahujan Samaj Party then her place was second only to Mayawati.

Demand for caste census in Parliament

BJP leaders did not give much importance to Maurya leaving the party, saying that he has been an opportunist for a long time. BJP leaders told that they were demanding a ticket for their son Uttarak, which the party refused to accept and they were upset about this.

Swami Prasad Maurya's daughter Sanghamitra Maurya is a BJP MP from Badaun Lok Sabha seat and supported the demand for caste census in Parliament. This stand of Sanghamitra was completely different from the official stand of the party.

A senior BJP leader told Indian Express, "Swami Prasad Maurya's quitting the party is not surprising. It was possible. After a day of sensationalism, it would make no sense." But BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh, including an MLA, say that Maurya's leaving the party will strengthen the perception about the Yogi government that this government belongs to the upper castes. And not giving rights to the backward castes.

ALSO READ: Pig Heart Successfully Transplanted to Man; what’s the whole story

This will further strengthen the charge that BJP uses and ignores only OBC votes to come to power. OBC votes have played an important role in bringing BJP to the center with an absolute majority.

"He could not become the top OBC leader in BJP but non-Yadav can become OBC leader in Samajwadi Party," a party functionary said.

You can connect with Ground Report on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Whatsapp and Subscribe to our YouTube channel. For suggestions and writeups mail us at [email protected]