One picture, many meanings, neither Baliyan, nor Sangeet Som, can Jayant trust BJP in Western UP?

A joint rally of BJP and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) was held on Monday i.e. 13 April at Numaish Ground in Muzaffarnagar district. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary participated in this rally. This rally was organized especially as an employment fair for the people of the district. Appointment letters were distributed to the youth in the employment fair. But, attempts were made to convey many big messages through its platform. This public meeting is being considered important from the politics of Western UP before the 2027 assembly elections.

Before the UP assembly elections, the opposition is continuously making unemployment an issue. In such a situation, NDA has started answering the opposition by organizing a job fair for the youth of Western UP. He announced the election from Western UP by giving employment to the youth and development schemes to the entire area. The leaders of BJP and RLD gave their full strength for the public meeting. This rally has indicated the unity and strategy of NDA in Western Uttar Pradesh.

The photo attracted everyone’s attention

Meanwhile, a photo emerged from the rally, which attracted everyone’s attention. Actually, apart from CM Yogi Adityanath and Jayant Chaudhary, minister Kapil Dev Aggarwal was present on the stage. Many MLAs of BJP and RLD were also on the stage. Many small leaders were present on the stage and in the center of the photo, but Muzaffarnagar’s big leader and marginalized former MP Dr. Sanjeev Baliyan was standing at a corner. Former Sardhana MLA and firebrand BJP leader Sangil Som was seen missing from the stage.

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In such a situation, all eyes remained on Sanjeev Baliyan. This has given rise to the allegations against BJP that after Sanjeev Baliyan lost the elections, the leaders of Jat community are gradually being sidelined from BJP. It also became clear from this forum that in Western Uttar Pradesh, BJP will depend more on Jayant Chaudhary than its own party leaders to attract Jat voters to its fold. If this had not happened, Sanjeev Baliyan would have been in the center of the stage and he would have been presented in the rally as a big Jat leader.

BJP-RLD do not want that…

BJP and RLD do not want the message to go among the Jat voters that there are two leaders of Jats, that is why the top leaders of the alliance want that importance should be given to Jayant Choudhary instead of Sanjeev Baliyan. Anyway, BJP knows that Sanjeev Balyan is limited to Muzaffarnagar district, whereas Jayant Chaudhary has his influence in the entire western Uttar Pradesh through his party and due to the legacy of Chaudhary Charan Singh.

This is the reason why BJP’s organization and leaders in Western Uttar Pradesh are gradually coming under the influence of Rashtriya Lok Dal. BJP leaders also know that RLD is going to get a good number of seats in the seat distribution in 2027 elections. In seat sharing, the party can get any seat. Jayant Chaudhary and his family have always had influence on dozens of seats, whether it is more or less, hence Jayant Chaudhary is now a name of helplessness for BJP.

Sanjeev Balyan lost 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Sanjeev Balyan had lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to Samajwadi Party’s Harendra Malik. After the elections, Balyan alleged that Sangeet Som, who was elected MLA from Sardhana seat of Meerut in 2017 and lost in 2022, had made him lose the election. Since then both the leaders have been taunting each other in public. These statements give the opposition an opportunity to attack in the name of internal strife within BJP. The party high command remains troubled by these statements. Secondly, it has also come to light in many media reports that Sardhana seat is being sought by RLD. Sangeet Som has been fighting from Sardhana seat. In such a situation, if there is tension regarding this seat, BJP will not want to upset Dayant Choudhary for Sangeet Som.

Sidelined Jat leaders?

In fact, after including Jayant Chaudhary in the alliance before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP has first sidelined the Jat leaders of the party. Jat leaders do not hold any big post in BJP after 2024 Lok Sabha. BJP considered Jayant Choudhary as the biggest headache of Western Uttar Pradesh and now after taking him on board, it is using him as a panacea. BJP does not want Jats to be given priority by keeping the traditional votes at the local level. But, by keeping Jayant Choudhary along, BJP can continue to consolidate Jat votes.

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Enmity with Sangeet Som seen in Mahapanchayat

Recently, Jat leaders of BJP demonstrated strength and organized a Mahapanchayat in Sakoti, Meerut. Political rivalry was highly visible in this program of the fraternity. Sanjeev Balyan had indirectly attributed his defeat to Sangeet Som and said, ‘Many times, be it politics or social life, one has to bear insults. We had to take two steps back, we had faced such an insult during the elections. It is not sad to win or lose an election, but it is sad to know the way the person was insulted. If someone has insulted him, he will have to repay it with interest.

How will BJP overcome?

It is being told that this statement given during the Jat conference points towards the ongoing tussle in the politics of Western Uttar Pradesh, where tension among the leaders within the BJP has already been discussed. It is also true that Dr. Sanjeev Balyan and Sangeet Singh Som have become leaders of such great stature while being in BJP that BJP does not want to take any direct enmity with them, due to which the party has to suffer loss in the elections. BJP is looking for their alternative in every way. In such a situation, Rashtriya Lok Dal is the solution to all this.

Importance of Jayant Chaudhary

The leaders of other castes of BJP have understood very well that when RLD President Jayant Chaudhary will sit on the same stage with Chief Minister Yogi in the government program in Muzaffarnagar, then the leaders and workers of both the parties will see power being shared equally. In such a situation, Jat leaders who look towards the BJP high command with hope will be weakened. Certainly this time Jayant Chaudhary will demand a bigger share from BJP in the 2027 assembly elections. Local BJP leaders also know that the seat where Jayant has placed his hand cannot be won without his support, even if the ticket remains with BJP.

Therefore, now BJP leaders along with their party leaders are also circling around Jayant Choudhary. These parikramadharis also include present BJP MLAs, ministers and potential candidates.