1 week ago
Chirag Paswan Targets Uttar Pradesh’s Non-Jatav Dalit Vote
Chirag Paswan’s party wants to become stronger in Uttar Pradesh.
It is especially trying to attract Dalit groups who are not Jatavs, such as Pasis and Paswans.
These groups supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2024 national election, according to the article.
The party believes the decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party has created an opportunity.
It is holding village meetings called Dalit Chaupals and plans to organise marches and larger meetings.
The party is also trying to reach Brahmins.
Its leaders say voters should support a party that will work directly for them.
However, the party has not previously performed strongly in Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP says a strong LJP (RV) contest could help it, even though no alliance has been agreed.
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is preparing to expand in Uttar Pradesh ahead of next year’s elections.
The party is focusing on non-Jatav Dalit communities, especially Pasis and Paswans, in Purvanchal and central Uttar Pradesh.
It is organising Dalit Chaupals and plans to conduct padyatras and Navsankalp Mahasabhas for voter outreach.
The party also hopes to attract Brahmins through temple-based Chanakya Chaupals and a Pandit-Pasi-Paswan slogan.
The LJP (RV) has limited electoral history in Uttar Pradesh and won no seats while receiving 0.01% of the vote in the 2022 Assembly polls.
- Who
- The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, is seeking support from non-Jatav Dalits and Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh.
- What
- The Bihar-based party is expanding its organisation and preparing to contest Uttar Pradesh elections more strongly.
- Where
- Purvanchal and central Uttar Pradesh are the party’s main focus areas, while western Uttar Pradesh is also discussed.
- When
- The preparations are under way ahead of next year’s Uttar Pradesh elections; the article also refers to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and 2022 Assembly polls.
- Why
- The party wants to benefit from the decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party and attract Dalit voters who supported the Samajwadi Party in 2024.
LJP (RV)’s Expansion Case
Electoral Constraints and BJP View
Opportunity among Dalit voters
LJP (RV)’s Expansion Case
LJP (RV) leaders say the BSP’s decline has opened space among non-Jatav Dalits, who backed the Samajwadi Party in 2024 because they lacked an alternative.
Electoral Constraints and BJP View
The party has limited support in Uttar Pradesh, while Jatav voters in western Uttar Pradesh are described as remaining largely loyal to the BSP.
Potential impact on the BJP
LJP (RV)’s Expansion Case
The LJP (RV) wants to emerge as an alternative for Dalit voters and broaden its social base by reaching out to Brahmins as well.
Electoral Constraints and BJP View
A BJP leader said there are no current alliance talks in Uttar Pradesh but acknowledged that a strong LJP (RV) contest, with or without the BJP, could help the BJP.
Party credibility in Uttar Pradesh
LJP (RV)’s Expansion Case
LJP (RV) leaders argue that the party can replicate in Uttar Pradesh the work it has done in Bihar and urge voters to trust its organisational efforts.
Electoral Constraints and BJP View
Its electoral record in the state remains weak: it drew a blank and received 0.01% of the vote in the 2022 Assembly elections, despite earlier wins by two candidates in 2002.
Key facts
- Party
- Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), founded by Ram Vilas Paswan and now led by Chirag Paswan
- Primary target
- Non-Jatav Dalit voters, particularly Pasi and Paswan communities
- Organisational activity
- The party says it has more than two lakh workers in Purvanchal and is building booth committees in central Uttar Pradesh
- Outreach
- Dalit Chaupals, planned padyatras and Navsankalp Mahasabhas
- Uttar Pradesh Dalit population
- Dalits account for around 21% of the state’s population
- BSP performance
- The BSP won one seat in the 2022 Assembly elections and no seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh
- 2022 LJP (RV) result
- The party won no seats and received 0.01% of the Uttar Pradesh vote
Quotes
Senior LJP(RV) Leader
An unidentified senior leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas)
“The Dalit community in UP is a bit wary of the BJP and hasn’t voted for it with much enthusiasm in the past. But it has no problems with us.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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