With an eye on the 2017 UP Assembly polls, Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar is now expanding his area of campaign and also the party's base in UP.
In last four months, Nitish has focussed in east UP district where the dominant population isthat of his caste - the Kurmi. Now, he plans to expand to Central UP and focus on the Bahujan Samaj to rope in Dalits. His strategy to rope in Dalits was revealed in lucknow when he addressed a rally organised by BSP rebel leader RK Chaudhary on July 26.
The Bihar CM is arriving in UP on August 6 to address a divisional convention of JD (U) in Ghatampur town of Kanpur Nagar.
JD (U) sources said that Nitish has reworked his UP strategy to balance his attack between Mulayam and Mayawati. Nitish is looking at the Dalits to broaden the Mahadalit base and look for acceptability in a possible third front in UP.
Initially, the Bihar CM aggressively pursued the liquor ban and its pan-Indian importance to score political points. Now he has switched over to speak about the cause of Bahujans, an area he carefully cultivated in Bihar under the nomenclature of Mahadalits – the most backward castes among Scheduled Castes.
A Janata Dal (U) leader said, "Nitish Kumar has been looking to achieve two things - one, he wants to balance his attack between Mayawati and Mulayam and two, he wants to make a dent into the OBC Kurmi and Dalit segment of UP. Besides he is expanding his party base by targeting the BJP, as he takes forward his campaign for the 2017 UP Assembly polls."
As the JD (U) prepares for its convention in Ghatampur, the party claimed that they are not targeting 'any particular caste, community or party'.
“Our party intends to raise the issues of the common people irrespective of castes and religion. We will be exposing parties like the BJP, theSamajwadi Party and the BSP at the convention and highlight achievements of Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government,” said state JD (U) chief Suresh Niranjan.
Senior JD (U) leaders including Sharad Yadav, secretary general K C Tyagi, general secretary R C P Singh and others will be present at the convention.