Kept hanging by BJP, VIP leader Mukesh Sahani has a message as he begins yatra: ‘Can get you 60 seats’

For Sahani, rejoining the NDA is almost a Hobson’s choice since the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) that is in power is already crowded with six parties. But, he senses that the BJP, which has welcomed back a former ally such as O P Rajbhar in Uttar Pradesh, cannot completely do away with it and hence is pushing his demand for a reservation for the Nishad or Mallah community (boatmen and fishermen). For the BJP, this is a difficult demand to accept as it would mean committing to a sub-quota within the EBC quota. Agreeing to it could lead to other caste outfits to raise similar demands.

Launching his yatra from Patna, Sahani addressed his supporters. In his speech, there was a message for the BJP. “If you join hands with us, you will win 60 (Lok Sabha) seats. Or else, you will lose them.” The VIP leader’s yatra route shows that he expects support from a sizable section of fishermen in all three states he will be touring. Apart from 30 Bihar districts, Sahani is looking to cover two districts in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and a few in Jharkhand before the yatra concludes on November 4.

As he kicked off his yatra, Sahani also referred to former MP and “Bandit Queen” Phoolan Devi, who was born into a Mallah family, on the occasion of her death anniversary. Sahani claimed that during the yatra the VIP aimed to get more than 60 people to take a vow to fight for quota for Nishads.

“NDA had been able to form the government only because of the support of our MLAs in a cliffhanger situation. People (BJP) then tried to gobble us up. It hurt the Nishad community more than me as an individual. We are offsprings of Eklavya and Phoolan Devi. We do not know of deceit and like honesty … Our slogan is clear. No reservation, no alliance; no alliance, no votes.”

BJP OBC Morcha general secretary and party spokesperson Nikhil Anand told The Indian Express, “Politics and party lines apart, how can one forget that PM Narendra Modi has launched Rs 20,050 crore Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to boost production and exports in the fisheries sector? The PMMSY is a flagship scheme for focused and sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the country as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package. The fisherman community is fast progressing under the Modi government.”