BJP enemy of OBCs, many more leaders will quit party: Rajbhar ahead of UP polls

A former ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who is now with the Samajwadi Party (SP), Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader OP Rajbhar is considered a key other backward classes (OBC) leader. In an interview to HT, the former Uttar Pradesh minister said the high-profile exits from the BJP in the last 24 hours were only a teaser of what’s to come. He also said that keeping its OBC base intact will be a challenge for the BJP.

Edited excerpts:

Why are so many BJP leaders and ministers leaving?Three years ago, when I resigned as a minister and left the BJP, I experienced the same thing. That’s when I realised that they are the enemies of backward classes and Dalits. Today, Dara SIngh Chauhan has also confirmed that exact thing and Swami Prasad Maurya too. If you were to speak to BJP leaders on a spy cam, they would reveal the same -- that no one listens to them, that they are helpless. Mark my words, on March 10 (counting day) no BJP leader will step out of their home and they will switch off their TVs.

Can you give us an example of what you call their anti-OBC policy?Take for instance, the induction of 69,000 teachers (in December 2020) which was supposed to be an empowerment move for OBCs. When the national commission of backward classes looked at it closely, they found that even the 27% OBC quota was not fulfilled in these appointments. The CM said that he will fix this anomaly but how is the OBC criteria fulfilled if you recruit only 6,000 backward candidates?

<strong>Click here to listen to the full interview</strong>

But some point out that while there was some anger in the OBC community, the BJP was able to counter that by bringing in a record number of OBC leaders in the cabinet reshuffle in July.A day before the polls were announced last week, on January 7,thousands of children were on dharna in Lucknow saying they had been robbed of the OBC and Dalit quota. Yogiji used the police to beat them up. These new ministers are just ‘chunavi mantri’ (election ministers), asked to perform and get some votes for the BJP. Has their appointment meant that more backwards are getting educated, and their domestic electricity bills are getting paid? Has their appointment meant that a greater number of poor are getting better treatment in hospitals? Has the caste census happened?

You have announced that many will join, and before Swami Prasad Maurya and Dara Singh Chauhan left, they were seen holding talks with you. How many resignations are you expecting?At least a dozen-and-a-half ministers are in touch with the Samajwadi Party. I can’t tell you their names right now. Also, you can expect a major revelation on the 14th about these exits from the BJP.

The BJP is known to do quick course correction. What if they really go all out to woo the OBC community now?Nothing will happen. It’s too late now because the election code of conduct has set in. What can they do now? They won’t be seen now for 28 years in Uttar Pradesh. If you go to the villages, the farmers are upset, if you meet the youth, they are fed up with unemployment and if you meet traders, they will tell you that GST has broken their back.

So you are saying the entire OBC vote bank will shift to the SP?What’s happened is that every community has its own leadership, formed its own party and its own vote. That ensures empowerment of that community and initially, the BJP allied with all these smaller parties and they formed the backbone of politics across the country. The SP has now allied with the Rajbar community for the Purvanchal area, an alliance with Prajapati gets them 7% votes. Similarly key alliances with other smaller parties gets them key community votes.

But many point out that while BJP may face anti-incumbency, their reduced numbers may still see them winning about 200 seats?I’ll tell you why they are wrong. In Purvanchal, our community has 12-22% votes and we had voted for BJP, so they have lost our vote. They have lost Prajapati votes, and 100% Kushwahas had voted for BJP last time, so they have lost them too. You can also take away the Patel votes and the Yadav and Muslims who voted for them. The Nishad, Mallas, Majhar, Kashyap etc who had all voted for BJP are not going to vote for them. Don’t the experts see that lakhs of these people are now upset with the BJP?