Sanjay Nishad: BJP alliance for 2027 centres on reservation promise

Alliance Hinges on Reservation Promise

Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad said on Sunday that his party's alignment with the BJP for the 2027 elections is centred on the core issue of reservation, noting that the Samajwadi Party was abandoned after it "closed the door" on the community's demands. While acknowledging the BJP's efforts in honouring the community's heritage and creating a separate fisheries ministry, the minister emphasised that he remains an "advocate" for reservation and that it is now up to the ruling party to prove its commitment by fulfilling this primary promise.

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"I was with the Samajwadi Party. They closed the door on me, so I had to leave. They did not raise even a single question on my issue of reservation. The issue of reservations is my party's priority. The issue of the Tal-Ghat rivers, the education of our De-notified Tribes (Vimukt Janjati), these issues lie with the Central and State governments," said Nishad. He also stated that earlier, there was a perception that the BJP was against reservations, but they gave 10% reservation to the upper castes and 33% to women, so that accusation has been removed.

"They are doing great things; they built the Nishadraj temple and the Ram temple. If Modi Ji is showing respect, chanting Jai Nishadraj, and honouring our historical heritage, and has made arrangements to bring our people into the mainstream of development by creating a separate Ministry of Fisheries, then I believe we should stick with them," Nishad added.

Nishdad said that he is the advocate for the reservation and is waiting for Bjp to answer when they will take action on it. He said, "The question of moving will only arise if the BJP closes its doors. It is the BJP that has to provide the answer because I am the advocate for reservation; I advocate for it. The BJP has to answer when it will grant the reservation. They are working on it, and they are doing big things, so I believe they will do it."

A 'Friendship from Treta Yuga'

Confirming his party's continued alliance with the BJP, he said, "As of today, my party is with the BJP. I have said this before as well. Last time, everyone else had left, but when the Honourable Home Minister called, I told him that I am a descendant of Nishadraj and a friend of Lord Ram. We are dignified people who practice dignified politics. We belong to a community with a glorious history."

Nishdad said that the BJP follows both the ideology of Rama and Nishadraj, that friendship belongs from Treta Yug. "To restore that glorious history, if the BJP follows the ideology of Ram, then they are following the ideology of Nishadraj as well; both were friends. This is a friendship from the Treta Yuga. Now the BJP must prove that friendship," he said.

"Just as Ram was with Nishadraj, and Nishadraj provided his army to Ram to defeat Ravana, we have also consistently provided our 'army' (support) to the BJP to give them victories since 2019. I believe the BJP should think about that," Nishad added.