‘Eyeing vote bank’: UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak on SP’s Brahmin outreach

Lucknow, Aug 7 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday criticised the Samajwadi Party’s outreach to the Brahmin community, claiming that the latter warming up to them was for a motive and a politically driven move. 

He claimed that the Akhilesh Yadav-led party holds scant respect for the Brahmin community and was merely eyeing it as a vote bank, suggesting that the SP’s outreach to the community was for political gains in view of next year’s Assembly elections.

The Samajwadi Party recently intensified its outreach to Brahmins and other upper-caste voters with a mega event by organising a programme on the birth anniversary of Janeshwar Mishra, the late socialist leader, the Brahmin face of the party and one of its founding figures.

Taking to his X account, the UP Deputy CM, referring to the particular event, said that the SP remembers Brahmins only during elections, whereas upon gaining power, the entire benefit remains confined to a single family.

“SP continues to follow the British policy of divide and rule,” he wrote in the post.

He remarked that the SP remembers ‘Chhote Lohia’ Janeshwar Mishra when it needs Brahmin votes, but sees only its family when it comes to ruling.

“Janeshwar Mishra’s birth anniversary should have been an opportunity to convey his socialist ideals and personality to the public; instead, the event was dominated by political accusations, counter-accusations, and personal attacks rather than a discussion of his ideas. This not only insulted Janeshwar Mishra’s legacy but also hurt the dignity of the entire Brahmin community,” he wrote in the post.

The Deputy CM further stated that it was inappropriate to ‘humiliate’ the entire Brahmin community to satisfy the ambitions of a few ticket aspirants.

Pathak claimed that the current Samajwadi Party has strayed from socialist ideals and the political ethos of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Janeshwar Mishra.

He recalled that Lohia viewed Parliament and Legislative Assemblies as platforms for meaningful debate, a tradition that Janeshwar Mishra also upheld. Both leaders led movements but always prioritised House proceedings and democratic dialogue.

Showing the mirror, he said that today’s SP engages in the politics of uproar and obstructionism in Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies instead of discussing issues of public interest.

“The opposition may pose for photographs holding a copy of the Constitution, but it fails to respect constitutional institutions and parliamentary traditions,” he added.

Further advising the SP leaders, Brajesh Pathak suggested that they should study the ideas of Dr Lohia and Janeshwar Mishra.

–IANS

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