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Journalism of Courage
HOURS BEFORE the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule on Sunday, the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh appointed six leaders of Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and seven leaders of Apna Dal (S) to the state’s boards and corporations.
Both the SBSP and Apna Dal (S) are the BJP’s allies in the NDA. While Apna Dal (S) chief Anupriya Patel is a Union Minister, SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar is a minister in the Uttar Pradesh government.
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The BJP’s move is aimed at keeping its allies in good humour in the run-up to the polls. Recently, both the parties had accused the BJP of ignoring its allies and had threatened to walk out of the alliance.
Both Apna Dal (S) and SBSP have a support base in non-Yadav backward castes in eastern and central UP, which explains why the BJP made most appointments from the OBC category and picked only two from upper castes.
The Apna Dal(S) leaders who have been appointed are: O P Katiyar, Rama Kant Patel, Rajendra Pal, Arvind Patel Baudhh, Rekha Verma, Ram Lakhan Patel and Ajay Pratap Singh. The first six are all from the OBC community.
The SBSP leaders who have been appointed are: Rajbhar’s son Arvind Rajbhar, Rana Ajeet Pratap Singh, Sudama Rajbhar, Sunil Arkvanshi, Radhika Patel and Mahesh Prajapati. Singh is the upper caste (Thakur) among the SBSP appointees.
