UP Deputy CM forcing SBSP leader to bow
A video purportedly showing Arvind Rajbhar, the leader of the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and son of UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, sitting with his hands folded at a meeting for BJP workers and then being asked to bow before them by Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, went viral on Friday. This sparked an outcry.
Informed by sources that the purpose of the Ghosi gathering was to “call for better coordination between the BJP and SBSP cadre” in the constituency where Arvind is standing for election to the Lok Sabha.
The BJP-led NDA coalition includes the SBSP as a member.
Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP), blasted the BJP over the event, saying it amounted to demeaning the OBC Rajbhar group.
The BJP’s powerful members are acting haughtily by pressuring the head of their own alliance party to retract and issue an apology. The pinnacle of humiliation is this.
Akhilesh demanded an apology from the BJP, saying, “The entire BJP should apologise for this misdeed.” Not just one person, but the entire group he belongs to has been humiliated by the BJP. In response to this insult, the Rajbhar community will vote against the BJP.
Arvind countered that he was “just taking the blessings of workers.” Brajesh Pathak, the deputy chief minister, has visited the district. Every employee in the district received a call. Pathak ji stated that the workers’ support is necessary to guarantee victory. That’s the reason I asked for the workers’ blessings,”
The BJP activists reportedly voiced “their resentment over Om Prakash Rajbhar’s previous statements on the BJP” during the time when “the SBSP and BJP were not allies” at the gathering.
One of the leaders in attendance claimed, “Brajesh Pathak asked Arvind to bow down before them, sensing the mood of party leaders.”
In coalition with the BJP, the SBSP ran for the UP Assembly in 2017. The party had won four of the eight seats it had run for. Rajbhar was named the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet’s backward class minister following the NDA’s victory.
But before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the SBSP left the NDA. This happened as a result of Rajbhar’s ongoing attacks on the Yogi government regarding the internal reservation issue. Afterwards, the leaders of the SBSP had repeatedly attacked the BJP.
In coalition with the SP, the SBSP ran candidates for 19 Assembly seats in 2022, taking home six of those seats. But during the elections, it broke with the SP and joined the NDA last
The son of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who recently died in Banda prison, Abbas Ansari was fielded by the SBSP for the Mau Assembly seat in the 2022 elections. Om Prakash Rajbhar referred to Ansari as a “messiah of the poor” and a “krantikari” upon his passing.
It was also claimed that the BJP activists had taken issue with Arvind over his father’s praise of Ansari.
The controversy unfolded when reports emerged of the SBSP leader being allegedly coerced into bowing before BJP cadre during a public event. Such an act has been viewed as an affront to the SBSP’s dignity and autonomy, as it suggests undue influence exerted by the ruling party over its alliance partners.
The SBSP is a key ally of the BJP in UP, and any rift between the two parties could potentially jeopardize the stability of the ruling coalition. The incident has raised questions about the power dynamics within the alliance and sparked concerns about the BJP’s dominance over its allies.
Opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav wasted no time in seizing upon the controversy, using it as an opportunity to launch a scathing attack on the ruling party. He accused the BJP of resorting to strong-arm tactics and undermining the principles of democracy and coalition politics. Yadav’s condemnation of the incident has further intensified the political heat in the state, adding fuel to the ongoing power struggle between the ruling party and its adversaries.
The BJP has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the allegations as baseless and politically motivated. The party has maintained that the incident was a non-issue blown out of proportion by its opponents to tarnish its image and sow discord within the alliance.
However, the controversy has once again brought the issue of coalition management to the forefront of UP’s political landscape. With crucial assembly elections looming on the horizon, the BJP cannot afford to alienate its alliance partners or risk internal discord. The party will need to tread carefully to address the concerns raised by its allies and ensure the unity of the ruling coalition.
In conclusion, the row over the UP Deputy CM allegedly pressuring an SBSP leader to bow before BJP cadre has ignited a political firestorm in the state. The incident has underscored the complexities of coalition politics and raised questions about the BJP’s treatment of its alliance partners. As the political drama unfolds, all eyes will be on how the ruling party navigates this challenging terrain and maintains the stability of its alliance ahead of the crucial elections.
