Kumar Bahukhandi
CM Yogi – Photo: Samvad News Agency
Politics of caste and religion is flourishing in the state on the chessboard of great men. In Aligarh and Agra divisions, BJP is engaged in the exercise of appeasing Hindu castes. After Chhatrapati Shivaji, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, Rana Sanga, now the issue of Hindutva is getting a new edge in the name of Ahilyabai.
Mission 2027 is at the center of this political game. Before this, three-tier panchayat elections will be held in the state. Which is considered to be a rehearsal for the assembly elections. The Samajwadi Party, which is dreaming of returning to power, is playing the Dalit, Backward and Minority (PDA) card. To blunt this edge of the PDA, the BJP is reminding different castes of the religious contributions of their great men.
Its foundation was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Aligarh in September 2021. The foundation stone of the university was laid in the name of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, a great man of the Jat community. The BJP also got the benefit of this in the 2022 assembly elections. Here, the tradition of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s birth anniversary was started in Agra Fort.
In Agra, famous for Mughal monuments, Hindu pride is being strengthened with the help of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Last month, there was a political battle over Rana Sanga. After which Kshatriya organizations from all over the country gathered in Agra. The hold among the Kshatriyas was strengthened with the Rakt Swabhiman Sammelan. Here BJP did not come out openly, but behind the scenes, the BJP representatives had handled the power show.
Now Pal-Baghel, Dhangar community was united in the name of Ahilyabai Holkar. In Agra and Aligarh division, the population of Pal-Baghel community is 6 to 7 lakh. Agra alone has about 3 lakh votes in 9 assembly constituencies. At the same time, the Jat community also plays a decisive role in Agra and Aligarh division districts. Kshatriya community is also a big group in 9 assembly constituencies of Agra.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP suffered a major setback in UP. SP emerged as the largest party in the state by winning 37 seats. In such a situation, SP is fuelling caste polarisation by wooing PDA. At the same time, BJP is taking the help of great men to counter this and prevent the disintegration of castes due to religious polarisation.
