After Kairana, Noorpur defeats, BJP trying to woo MBC voters

BJP announces office bearers for its most backward caste cell

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flashes the victory sign with newly elected BJP MP's of Rajya Sabha in Lucknow | PTI Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flashes the victory sign with newly elected BJP MP's of Rajya Sabha in Lucknow | PTI

First it was Gorakhpur and Phoolpur. And, now Noorpur and Kairana. After humiliating bypoll defeats, the BJP is now focusing on fine-tuning its organisation and is going all-out to win the most backward caste (MBC) votes in Uttar Pradesh.

Soon after the Noorpur and Kairana results, Uttar Pradesh BJP has announced office bearers for its MBC cell. Selection of candidates in the cell is an indication that the BJP will now consolidate its MBC vote bank with a new vigour. Though the chairman of the cell was announced about a year-and-a-half ago, he was given the team only recently to boost the party’s chances in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Party insiders say that the main cause of BJP’s defeat in the two recent bye-elections is the drifting away of MBC votes from the party. The party had scored a scintillating win in the 2014 parliamentary polls and 2017 assembly polls, especially in UP, by playing the MBC card.

In the 2014 polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emerged as the most important leader for the backwards in UP, whipping up their aspirations for empowerment and good life. Before 2017 UP assembly polls, the party handed over its reins in the state to another backward leader Keshav Prasad Maurya who was made the state head. Later, when Yogi formed the government, Maurya was made the deputy chief minister. This move proved successful, and the BJP won 325 seats.

However, after this, the BJP failed to placate its MBC voters, which resulted in its defeat in important bypolls. These defeats have compelled senior BJP leaders to reconsider its electoral strategy. The list of office bearers of BJP backward cell includes leaders from Rajbhar, Maurya, Nishad, Chaurasia, Saini, Bhurji, Teli and Pal communities that play a vital role in every polls.