With the Bharatiya Janata Party intensifying its efforts to consolidate its base among the non-dominant backward castes ahead of Lok Sabha elections, National Democratic Alliance allies in Uttar Pradesh are preparing to seek their share in power. The three allies of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Apna Dal (Sonelal), NISHAD Party and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) represent the Other Backward Classes communities.

The Apna Dal (Sonelal) is a Kurmi dominated party, the NISHAD party has a strong base among the Nishad community and the SBSP represents the Rajbhar community. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) in 2019 had won both the Lok Sabha seats that it contested -- Mirzapur and Robertsganj. Union Minister Anupriya Patel won from Mirzapur while Pakodi Lal Kol won from Robertsganj.

In 2014, the Apna Dal (Sonelal) had contested only two seats, Mirzapur and Pratapgarh, and had won both. The party has thus maintained its 100 per cent success rate.

According to sources, this time, the Apna Dal (Sonelal) is aiming to contest more seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The party has shortlisted five seats that it wants to contest on its own symbol. These are Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Kaushambhi, Prayagraj, Pratapgarh and Robertsganj.

The party has already raised the demand for caste census and underlined a larger share for OBC castes. An Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader said, “Our demand for more seats is not unfair. We have shown a 100 per cent success rate in two consecutive Lok Sabha elections and our leaders have never made any demand from the BJP. We are also seeking to raise our political status in the coming years and there is nothing wrong with it.”

Earlier this year, Apna Dal (Sonelal) was elevated from a registered political outfit to a state party by the Election Commission of India. The party also increased its tally from nine MLAs in 2017 to 13 seats in 2022 UP elections.

NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad, who is also a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, has already staked claim for 27 Lok Sabha seats which have a sizeable population of the fishermen community -- a most backward class.

The NISHAD party won only one seat in the 2017 assembly elections -- Vijay Mishra won from Gyanpur in Bhadohi – and it increased its tally to six in 2022 assembly elections when it allied with the BJP. The BJP, at the same time sent Sanjay Nishad to the UP Legislative Council and made him a cabinet minister in the Yogi government. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sanjay's son Praveen Nishad won from Sant Kabir Nagar on a BJP ticket. The NISHAD Party now wants to contest the Lok Sabha polls on its own symbol to “create our own political identity”.

Sanjay Nishad took out a yatra in Uttar Pradesh to drum up support among the riverine community for his long-standing demand for their inclusion in the Scheduled Caste category. Nishads, Majhwars, Kewats and Mallahs -- all part of the riverine community of fishermen and boatmen -- are currently included in the OBC category. While the demand is not new, the fact that the yatra is being undertaken so close to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which NISHAD party will contest in alliance with BJP, indicates some fresh political posturing.

Nishads are a crucial riverine vote bank, wooed by all parties, especially in east UP. In alliance with BJP, 11 of NISHAD party candidates won the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, five of them on BJP’s symbol.

Meanwhile, SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar, who claims to be a kingmaker in UP politics, is also eyeing for a larger share of seats in 2024.