Dy CM Maurya drops enough hints of back channel dialogue going on between BJP and SBSP Rajbhar

PRAYAGRAJ, Oct 16 (HS): Churning rumour mills suggest that back channel discussions are going on between BJP and SBSP of Omprakash Rajbhar ahead of UP 2022 assembly polls. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya added fuel to the fire by dropping enough hints that Rajbhar may join the BJP led coalition anytime soon during a freewheeling discussion with HS on Saturday. ?Bonhomie between politicians cutting across party lines is not new. We do discuss current political situation with our counterparts. Political alignments may alter in the days to come with old allies embarking on ?ghar wapsi? cannot be ruled out. When we will arrive at any decision, it will be conveyed to the media,? he opined.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar had earlier said the BJP did not make Maurya the chief minister even after promising him. Responding to a query by HS over SBSP chief, Maurya said, “Who told this to Om Prakash Rajbhar ji. I do not know because then I was the state president and at that time no decisions were taken in my absence.” ?When Adityanath’s name came up, some people naturally spoke about it because the state president becomes the CM of the state, he retorted angrily.

When quipped over likelihood of similar backchannel discussion taking place with Jayant Chaudhary led RLD, he categorically denied having any knowledge about such a possibility. ?We are not extending invitation to anyone. Those who want to align with us express their desire to party top brass and the decision to move forward is taken by the core team. Neither we have extended any invitation to RLD, nor we have received any proposal, ?Maurya explained.

“The elections of 2022 will be decisive, paving the way for the elections of 2024.” “I don’t see any doubt in crossing this figure,” he said, adding that the outcome will be in the BJP’s favour and that the party will cross the 300-mark in 2022. “I think people judge in their own way,” Maurya said of accusations of religious polarisation levelled against the BJP. We fight polls with the promise of good governance and win elections on the basis of merit.” “At the moment, Yogi Adityanath is the chief minister,” Maurya said of leadership. Right now, we and everyone else believe that Yogi ji will be the chief minister when the results of the 2022 elections are announced. But this is something I am unable to say. The central leadership must make this decision.

At the time of the 2017 assembly elections, Maurya was the state president of the BJP, and under his leadership, the party won 312 of the 403 seats, with 13 seats won by allies. In response to another query by HS, he stated, “In Uttar Pradesh, backward castes account for 55 percent of the population. It is impossible to engage in politics or work while neglecting 55 percent of the community. We are working to improve every aspect of the society. The backward classes have made the most contribution in all of the elections that have been won since 2014 until now.”

When asked if the backward castes have been fairly represented, Maurya responded, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi belongs to the lower caste. The BJP is always thinking and working with the goal of social uplift and harmony in mind.”

“No section is angry with the BJP,” the Deputy Chief Minister said when asked if Brahmins are angry with the BJP. “These are allegations only,” Maurya said of the opposition charge that the government, particularly the chief minister, is favouring a particular caste, which is one of the reasons for Brahmin discontent.

“Something must have been lacking somewhere, we do not deny it,” Maurya said of Covid. ?But, it is also true that UP fought in the best way against Covid as compared to other states. Our government successfully fought and defeated Corona “he stated. “Religious polarisation has no place in our government. There have been no riots or disagreements in our government. The opposition camp is understandably agitated as a result of this. There is a flaw in the opposition parties’ vision if they see polarisation in development work.”