BJP’s Dalit outreach plan for Assembly polls
With UP Assembly polls scheduled for 2027, political parties have started charting out priorities. The ruling BJP, along with RSS, is working out a new outreach plan focused on Dalits, to check an apparent shift of disenchanted SC vote bank from BSP to rival camps, particularly the SP and Congress. The plan envisages visits of BJP functionaries and ABVP members to degree colleges, universities, engineering and medical colleges to meet Dalit students — in groups or individually — and convince them about the social justice measures undertaken by Modi government at the Centre and Yogi government in UP.
SBSP to contest over 10 seats in Bihar
The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), led by Yogi minister OP Rajbhar, is preparing to contest over 20 seats in Bihar, where Assembly polls are set to take place in later this year.
Rajbhar, a BJP ally, claims to have completed the groundwork on nearly 29 seats. He is set to demand a ‘fair share’ from the BJP and JD(U) in the state where his party has been active for the past few years. Sources said SBSP has zeroed down on assembly seats across 28 districts, including Sasaram, West Champaran, Nawada, Nalanda, Gaya, Aurangabad and Bettiah.
Dalit groom assaulted, marriage party returned
A Dalit groom bore the brunt of caste discrimination when a group of 40 upper caste men attacked his marriage procession for passing through their locality and playing DJ music in Bulandshahr.
While the groom was pulled down from the horse, the baratis (wedding guests) were beaten up and forced to return.
Six of them sustained head injuries in the incident. An FIR has been filed against 30 identified and some unknown people under relevant sections of BNS which included sections 191 (2) (rioting), 126 (2) (preventing someone from moving freely), 324 (4) (mischief), and 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt).