New Delhi: Preparations for the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are in full swing. All political parties are pulling out all the stops for the polls. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has held power in UP for two consecutive terms, has also geared up significantly. To fortify its stronghold, the BJP has begun efforts to placate disgruntled leaders.
As part of this initiative, CM Yogi Adityanath met with Aditi Singh, while Vinod Tawde, the BJP’s in-charge for UP, P visited Sanjay Nishad’s residence. These moves by the BJP are being viewed as damage control; Sanjay Nishad had expressed dissatisfaction with the government in recent days. These efforts are also seen as a setback to the opposition’s plans. The BJP appears highly active regarding the UP Assembly elections and is unwilling to take the contest lightly.
Meetings Deal a Blow to the Opposition
Opposition parties had been eyeing the possibility of disgruntled leaders like Sanjay Nishad, Aditi Singh, and Kaushal Kishore joining their ranks. However, gauging the situation, the BJP stepped in to manage the fallout. CM Yogi Adityanath met with Aditi Singh, the MLA from Rae Bareli; by personally sharing a photo of the meeting on social media, the CM sought to put an end to the rampant speculation.
Meanwhile, Vinod Tawde, the BJP’s UP in-charge, visited the Nishad Party office in Gorakhpur to meet Sanjay Nishad. Tawde met with Nishad’s family members, including his wife, his son Praveen Nishad, and his MLA son Sarvan Nishad; the family presented him with a memento in the shape of a wooden boat.
Party Working to Bridge Rifts
These meetings by BJP leaders confirm that the party is actively working to bridge the gap with its own leaders and allies. Amidst speculation that these leaders might defect to other parties, the BJP appears likely to succeed in winning them over.
Sanjay Nishad Seeks Better Coordination
Sanjay Nishad is seeking better coordination within the NDA this time around. A key priority for him is ensuring that the Nishad Party’s seat allocation is not reduced relative to other allies. Furthermore, he expects the government to take some initiative regarding the issue of Nishad reservation. Vinod Tawde recently met with Sanjay Nishad; prior to this, the organisational general secretary had also held discussions with him.
Given these developments, it appears likely that the BJP will soon resolve Sanjay Nishad’s grievances. Meanwhile, Kaushal Kishore—a former MP, former Union Minister, and one of the most prominent figures of the Pasi community in the Lucknow and Awadh regions—has also signalled that his dissatisfaction is subsiding.
