Sanjay Nishad interview: ‘My community gets angry at me for failing to work for them… I am a helpless leader of present system’

The NISHAD Party founder-president and Praveen’s father, Sanjay Nishad, who is also the UP Fisheries Minister, speaks to The Indian Express on a range of issues including the NDA’s poor showing in the Lok Sabha polls, alliance problems, reservation and the coming elections. Excerpts:

In your view, what were the major reasons for the NDA’s loss of seats in UP in the Lok Sabha polls?

Overconfidence was the major reason. There was overconfidence over the works done by Modiji. Even the (NDA) leadership was confident that Uttar Pradesh has been turned into “Sarvottam Pradesh” (best state) and seeing it the people would vote for us.

There is a population of about 15 crore people in UP, who are dependent on free ration. While castes like Milkmen, Dhobi, Pasi, Yadav, Kurmi and to some extent Maurya have taken maximum benefits of reservation, other groups like Pal, Kumhar, Kewat, Kashyap, Barhai etc. have failed to get any quota benefits. A majority of this population is deprived, who can be misguided easily. While they were misguided on the issue of reservation and Constitution during the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP failed to counter it – that it is Congress which is actually against reservation.

One has to understand the reservation game in UP. In other states, reservation is given to those who do not have opportunities. But in UP, it is captured by a section. And the deprived section waiting for it was misguided.

Also, with the SP and Congress together, the minority voters got consolidated.

Why did you blame the “misuse of bulldozers” in the wake of the Lok Sabha poll setback?

It all started with one of our community members and a woman in Jaunpur reaching out to police over some land dispute. Both had registered a complaint but while police did not take any action against the accused, this woman’s house was demolished. This was before Lok Sabha elections. Officials invoked law but she could have been rehabilitated before taking such a decision. On this issue many grassroot workers of my party became angry with me for my failure to do much. As the woman approached me crying, I tried to help her through my own personal funds.

People at the grassroots feel that a minister means government. While this used to happen in the past, today the fact is that ministers cannot get any work done. I remember as a youth, then Congress CM Vir Bahadur Singh used to come to our house and our people used to get the work done even if the application was given in a half-torn piece of paper. That was the tradition.

My community gets angry at me for failing to work for them. I tell them while I would stand for them strongly and for the issues that we strongly believe in, but iss samaya ki vyavastha ka majboor neta hun (I am a helpless leader of the present system).

People from Lucknow also came to me crying for their houses, showing their land registration and that they had still received notice for demolition. If action was to be taken, then people should have been rehabilitated first. And then, why no action has been taken against officials, who allowed such things to happen in the first place. It was the time of elections, thus we did not speak much. Lekin harne ke baad to keh sakta hun (But I can say this after the poll debacle).

What are the reasons that led to this situation?

A clear reason is that officers are directly linked to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The postings, transfers are all done from there. Earlier the tradition was such that if a minister writes to a DM against an officer who is not doing work, then immediately that officer was transferred. Thus, there was a fear of public representatives, who represent voters of their constituencies. But today we cannot get any work done. Though, most officials are working for the development of the state but there are certain officials, who are still working against the interest of the community.

Chief Minister (Adityanath) has started taking cognisance of these things. He recently suspended an entire police outpost, transferred about a dozen IAS officers, which kind of assured people that action would be taken. But still, at the grassroots there are officers who are politically motivated. There are many officers jo vote bank kharab kar dete hain (who spoil our vote banks).

There are voices within the BJP who feel that instead of giving importance to regional parties, community leaders should be developed within the party, and they should be given ministerial posts. Your comments?

Such feelings are among those leaders, who see communities as just Hindus, believing that they would vote for them. They give importance to a Yadav leader thinking that Yadavs being Hindus would give them votes, but such leaders fail to get votes of even their family members.

But overall, I would say that BJP is better in “gathbandhan dharma” (alliance dharma) than other parties. After taking appointment, you can meet their leaders in Delhi as well. On the other hand, I was a part of the founding member team of BSP, I have been in alliance with SP but they are opportunists and forget you after strengthening their base. I would cite one example. When Praveen Nishad registered a historic win on SP symbol from Gorakhpur and had gone to meet SP leadership, he was made to stand in line for an hour and was called in only following a journalist’s intervention.

Both SP and Congress have suffered in their aristocracy and have given space to BJP. Then, during one of the protests, Praveen Nishad as SP MP got injured but no senior leaders took note of it.

In one of your party’s recent meetings, you referred to Praveen’s current loss as the BJP’s loss as he had contested on the BJP symbol. You also staked your party’s claim on two Assembly seats in the upcoming bypolls. Would you be able to get them from the BJP?

I still feel that if Praveen had contested on NISHAD Party’s symbol then he would have won because the community which was unhappy with BJP would have voted for us but instead went to the other side.

As far as symbol is considered, one has to understand that it is a significant political weapon. There are five political weapons – party, flag, leader, slogan and symbol. Every party, even if they are partners, are contenders as well and do not want other’s symbol to rise.

If a symbol of a regional party reaches Lok Sabha then they get the opportunity to put forward their party’s ideology. In Lok Sabha or in Assembly, while one gets time to speak as per their numbers. But even if I have one member under my symbol, I would get separate time to speak.

For five years as BJP MP, Praveen tried to raise the issue of reservation in Parliament but barely got time to speak. Since he was member of BJP, his time was decided by the party.

They (senior alliance partner) do not allow (their junior allies to contest on) other symbol, because that leader, if he wins, would speak on the lines of his party’s ideology. Thus, they are ready to take in leaders but do not want to allow any other symbol to prosper.

We did not contest on our symbol in 2019 polls, but the then atmosphere was in favour of Modi ji and we got votes. We contested on our symbol in 2022 and got our votes for Yogi ji. We were not allowed to contest on our symbol in 2024 and Nishad (OBC) votes went to others. If they want to lose Nishad votes in 2027 (Assembly polls) then they would not allow our symbol. In Prime Minister’s constituency alone, there are 2 lakh Nishad voters.

Of late, NDA allies have been vocal on issues like reservation. What would you do as you have no representation in Parliament?

What if we are not there in the House, we would be seen on the streets. It is true that we would have raised our issues in Parliament if our representation was there but our workers are ready to raise the issue on the streets.

In light of the Lok Sabha poll results, what correctives you think should be applied in NDA camp for the 2027 UP polls?

First of all, a comprehensive strategy should be made taking alliance partners in confidence. Then there should be better coordination between ministers and officers or public representatives. Complaints of public representatives should be heard. Like the way the administration used to hear it during the Mayawati regime.

What is your party’s stand on the issue of reservation and creamy layer?

We believe that the government should not have gone on the back foot on the Supreme Court ruling (on SC/ST sub-classification). We would not go on back foot. We strongly feel that creamy layer concept should be there. We are people, who work for a mission. Fifteen crore people, who are dependent on free ration, should get the opportunity first. We still demand inclusion of a section of Nishads, who are most deprived, in the SC list.

Are there any other issues that need to be rectified at the government level in preparation for the 2027 polls?

I would just say that Nishads are very simple people and their representative Sanjay Nishad has been given just the Fisheries ministry, whereas other ministers have got four portfolios. Our community sees this too. Further, there are posts lying vacant in various bodies because of which bureaucrats are calling the shots there. Political appointments should be made there.

We should have handled issues like the teacher appointment row in time – we have unnecessarily given it to parties like SP.

I would say that Yogi ji does what he says, but there is still a lot of work to be done. He has finished mafias, given fishermen a welfare board, ensured infrastructure in the state. But public did not see work and instead believed rumours on reservation and Constitution. But these issues would have to be resolved before the polls.