Uttar Pradesh: Ignoring big names, BJP relies on caste equations in Rajya Sabha polls too, OBCs dominate
According to senior BJP leaders from UP, the party has finalized the names for RS seats with an eye on next parliament elections
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with BJP candidates as they file their nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, in Lucknow. Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak are also seen. | (PTI Photo)
Lucknow: Caste is all that matters for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh.
Keeping an eye on the parliament elections of 2024, BJP has decided to make a balance of caste instead of going for big names in the Rajya Sabha elections for 11 seats of UP. The party has even dropped its siting RS member and Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, prominent minority face Jafar Islam and industrialist Sanjay Seth this time. All these were sent to upper house from UP last time.
Among the names of BJP candidates for RS from UP include chief of party’s backward front K Laxman who hails from Telangana and Dalit leader Mithlesh Kumar who is the vice-president of SC/ST commission in the state. Of the total eight candidates for RS from UP, BJP has fielded one each from Brahmin, Vaishya, Jat and Dalit community while four have been chosen from the backward castes. Instead of going for big names, the party has decided to field local leaders for their respective communities.
According to senior BJP leaders from UP, the party has finalized the names for RS seats with an eye on next parliament elections. Since OBCs had played a major role behind the victory of BJP in the 2014 & 2019 parliament and recently held assembly polls, they were given major share in the RS nominations.
On Sunday, BJP had announced name of six candidates for RS seats in UP. These included former legislator from Gorakhpur Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, former state president Laxmi Kant Bajpai, Surendra Nagar, Sangeeta Yadav, Darshna Singh and Baburam Nishad. However, on late Monday evening, the party announced the name of K Laxman and Mithlesh Kumar for the remaining two seats.
As per their strength in the state assembly, ruling Bhartiya Janta Party can easily send seven while SP 3 of its candidates in the RS. In the UP assembly, SP alliance has 125 while BJP & its allies 273 members. Both these parties would be having 14 additional votes for the 11th candidate. While SP has decided to field only three candidates, BJP is planning to field eight based on its 14 additional votes. To ensure victory in RS polls from UP, 37 voters are required.
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