LUCKNOW: What is common among Savitri Bai Phule, Ashok Kumar Dohre, Chhote Lal Khairwar, Dr Yashwant Singh and Kuldeep Singh Sengar? They are all BJP leaders adding to the woes of a beleagured ruling party, right? Well, there is another common thread -- they are all turncoats who joined the saffron ranks ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha and 2017 Assembly elections to reap the benefit of sweeping Modi wave.
According to political experts, the dissentions might have stirred the political cauldron in UP unexpectedly but high ambitions for a secure political future are in play for opportunists. Moreover, such opposing voices have gained ground after the prospective SP-BSP alliance the chances of which are imminent on the horizon of 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Not only Dalits, but now the leaders of traders community (vaishya) are also raising voices. The pattern is exasperating and situation is tricky for the BJP which has indiscriminately inducted leaders from other parties to improve its fire power while making inroads into the vote banks of SP and BSP. The party reaped its benefit in the form of historical 71 of 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and record 312 of 403 seats in Assembly in 2017. The party accorded priority to turncoats during ticket distribution, citing their winnability, ignoring the old party leaders who had spent their lifetime in nurturing the organisation.
But, now the fault lines are showing.
“Sensing a palpable change in political equations especially after Gorakhpur and Phulpur defeat owing to SP-BSP alliance, turncoats may now be looking for greener pastures in 2019. So are trying to find a reason or two to make a way out of the BJP,” says a senior BJP leader seeking anonymity. He adds that the trend of inducting leaders from other parties and awarding them with tickets is not a healthy practice. “While it leads to discontent among core party workers who have given their sweat and blood in raising the organisation, outsiders’ loyalty is never guaranteed,” he avers.
BJP’s Dalit MP from Bahraich, Savitri Bai Phule, accusing the Centre of compromising reservation rights of SC/ST, had been BSP sector coordinator in Balha reserved constituency earlier.
Dalit MP from Etawah, Ashok Dohre, who blamed Yogi government for atrocities on Dalits after April 2 violence, is also a BSP turncoat. After being fired from cabinet and denied ticket in 2012 by Mayawati, Dohre joined BJP just ahead of 2014 LS polls and got a ticket too. He won from SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s home turf Etawah.
Similarly, Chhote Lal Khairwar, MP from Robertsganj, despite being appointed state chairman of ST Commission, is out to shame his own government. He switched over to BJP from SP in 2014.
Dr Yashwant Singh, MP, Nagina had been a part of Rashtriya Lok Dal till 2014 and prior to it he was a BSP MLA. Dr Singh had written also to the PM reminding him that Centre had done meagre for Dalits in the country during the last four years.
“We are gauging the situation and party leadership is alive to the issue. Certainly, the think tank is working out a strategy to counter such forces and arrest this trend,” said BJP spokesman Dr Chandra Mohan.
However, the political observers feel that after enjoying Lok Sabha membership quietly for four years, now these turncoats want to play Dalit messiahs. “During their tenure, they hardly did anything for their constituency. Now in the last year, they want to get their presence felt in the party,” said senior political commentator JP Shukla who adds that these leaders may also be apprehending denial of ticket this time, so they are out to raise finger at their own government and play a martyr.
Even Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the BJP MLA from Unnao under fire for his alleged involvement in a rape and assault case, has been a habitual party hopper. Sengar, 51, started his political career in 2002 when he was elected MLA from Unnao Sadar on a BSP ticket. He joined SP before 2007 assembly elections and won from Bangarmau seat. In 2012 elections, he won as SP candidate from Bhagwant Nagar constituency. In the middle of 2017 assembly election, Sengar joined the BJP and was named party nominee and won from Bangarmau.
BJP MP from Allahabad, Shyama Charan Gupta too has joined the dissidents’ bandwagon. Once a BJP mayor of Allahabad, Gupta joined SP but switched over to the BJP again in ahead of 2014 LS polls. The reason for discontent is denial of party ticket to his wife and son in Municipal elections last year.