Lucknow: For ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), the growing demands from allies could give sleepless nights in Uttar Pradesh.
Ahead of UP assembly polls, Nishad Party has demanded 70 seats to contest along with a berth in the state cabinet. Former alliance partner Suheldeo Rajbhar Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) is yet to be convinced to come back into the fold again. The state BJP president has held discussion with the SBSP leader Om Prakash Rajbhar regarding alliance. While the talks remained inconclusive, Rajbhar has been looking for other options.
On Wednesday, the national president of Nishad Party Dr Sanjay Nishad said that he would remain with BJP but need more assembly seats to contest. On the concluding day of the national convention of his party, he said that his party would like to contest on 70 assembly seats in the coming elections. Nishad Party has its base among the fishermen community in UP. Sanjay Nishad said that his party has a strong vote base in 160 assembly segments of UP. He said that Nishad Party would play an important role in the formation of government in 2022.
Lashing out at Samajwadi and Bahujan Samaj Party, Sanjay Nishad said that both these parties have duel character and before questioning others they should look into themselves. He said that BSP supremo Mayawati kept mum when dalits were harassed in police stations. The Nishad Party chief said that contractual system in UP would be abolished if his party is voted to power.
The Nishad party chief placed a six-point charter of demand before the UP government. He has demanded special coaching centres of his community and speedy recruitments on the backlog posts. He also demanded withdrawal of cases on the fishermen community that were lodged during political movements. Demanding reservation for fishermen in jobs, he said that the community should be given rights on the ponds and riverbanks.
It may be mentioned that Nishad Party which is a part of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has been demanding representation in the government. Sanjay Nishad has met with the national BJP president JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah and UP CM Yogi Adityanath twice in this regard. According to BJP leaders, the party has agreed to induct Nishad Party in the UP cabinet in the proposed expansion. Besides, the BJP has also decided to give one seat to Nishad Party in the state legislative council.
