MISSION 2024 BJP eyes making inroads among Rajbhar voters

Lucknow: Amidst speculations of SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar leaning towards BJP, the saffron camp’s efforts to make inroads among Rajbhar voters are apparently intensifying.

The “Rajbhar-Biyar Pratinidhi Sammelan” organised under the leadership of the Yogi government’s cabinet minister Anil Rajbhar in the state capital on Saturday may have been termed as a part of the organization’s activities, but it is being considered as part of a deft move to corner Omprakash Rajbhar. Political experts believe that due to the disenchantment of a large chunk of Rajbhar voters in the recently concluded assembly elections, the BJP suffered heavy losses in many seats. Due to the imbalance in the caste equations, BJP’s political ground weakened in Azamgarh, Mau, Ambedkar Nagar and Ghazipur districts, while the SP alliance got an electoral edge in these areas. Taking a cue from this weakness, BJP strategists have started moving ahead on a plan to strengthen hold on Rajbhar voters.

It is noteworthy that according to the report of the Social Justice Committee, Rajbhar community is around 3 per cent of the total population of UP. But in more than a hundred seats from Purvanchal to Awadh belt, their population has a significant impact. Since its inception the OP Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) was the first real political articulation of the Rajbhar community.

Realising the importance of Rajbhar voters, BJP started efforts to get their support from 2014 itself. The party bet on Harinarayan Rajbhar, who also became an MP. But he could not make any visible impact among his own community. Since OP Rajbhar broke the alliance, BJP made every effort to maintain its strong foothold among Rajbhar voters. Anil Rajbhar was given the rank of cabinet minister. At the same time, Sakaldeep Rajbhar of Ballia was made Rajya Sabha MP. But all these leaders also could not prove effective in mobilising Rajbhar voters towards BJP camp.