BHOPAL: In a major setback to ruling BJP ahead of year-end assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, ex-MLA and powerful Brahmin leader Laxman Tiwari quit the saffron party on Thursday to protest the amendment to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Tiwari, a powerful Brahmin leader from state's Vindhyan region had won the 2008 assembly polls from Mauganj assembly seat on Uma Bharti's Bhartiya Jan Shakti Party ticket, but lost the 2013 polls as BJP candidate from the same seat of Rewa district to Congress nominee Sukhendra Singh by over 10,000 votes.
Tiwari, who underwent kidney transplant a few months back, was a front-runner for contesting the Mauganj seat against on BJP ticket again. His exit from BJP is being seen as a major loss to the party in Rewa district and adjoining parts of Vindhyan region, where Brahmins have a strong presence.
"There is no question of remaining in the BJP anymore, as the party is now up to completing the unfinished agenda of Mayawati-led BSP. By bringing the bill in the Parliament last month to reverse the Supreme Court judgment on preventing misuse of the SC/ST Atrocities Act, the BJP has exposed amply that it's doing nothing, but completing the unfinished agenda of BSP that aims to oust 72% population (general and OBC) from the country to garner votes of 28% population," said Tiwari while announcing to quit the BJP on Thursday.
According to Tiwari's close aides, the ex-MLA is unlikely to the opposition Congress, but could instead revive his old Sawarna Samaj Party."After undergoing renal transplant I've got a new lease of life, perhaps to wage a battle for justice to the 72% population. With the blessings of Lord Mahakal in Ujjain on Thursday, I'll begin a yatra to uproot the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government from Madhya Pradesh," said Tiwari.
Reacting to Tiwari's announcement to quit the ruling BJP, retired IAS officer and patron of Samanya Pichchada evam Alpsankhyak Varg Adhikari Karamchari Sangh (SAPAKS) Dr Hiralal Trivedi welcomed the development.
"We feel that Tiwari is going to revive his old party the Sawarna Samaj Party. We invite him and all others who share common ideology to join forces with us to build a front in the state that will work for revoking of the recently passed amendment to the SC/ST Act," said Trivedi.
Importantly, SAPAKS had recently announced to contest all 230 assembly seats in the state in the coming polls. "Not only Tiwari, but all other leaders in BJP, Congress and other parties, who share our ideology are welcome to join forces with us, but not for immediate electoral gains, instead for furthering the larger issues and ideology of SAPAKS and like-minded organizations," added Trivedi.
Enthused by the overwhelming response to the Bharat Bandh across MP on Thursday, the SAPAKS patron also announced that a mega rally of general and OBC people will be held in Bhopal on September 30 against the amended SC/ST Act.