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Praveen Nishad misses Union cabinet berth, party chief gives BJP a veiled threat
Displeased over the omission of Praveen, the Nishad party chief reminded the BJP of its promise made to the alliance partner
Even as seven lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh, including Pankaj Chaudhary, a six-term Lok Sabha MP from Maharajganj, were inducted into Union cabinet as ministers on Wednesday, the surprising factor was BJP MP from Sant Kabir Nagar, Praveen Nishad, who missed the berth.
Parveen Nishad, along with his father Sanjay Nishad, chief of Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (Nishad) Party, had met Union home minister Amit Shah and Bharatiya Janta Party, national president JP Nadda in Delhi on June 10 setting off speculation over his induction in the Union Cabinet.
On June 23, father-son duo had also met chief minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence in Lucknow.
Displeased over the omission of Praveen, the Nishad party chief reminded the BJP of its promise made to the alliance partner.
“Nishad community has influence over 160 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. While the representation of the community was ignored the Apna Dal (S), which has influence only over a few assembly seats has been given representation in Union Cabinet with induction of Anupriya Patel,” he said.
Warning that BJP might have to pay the price for ignoring the Nishad community in 2022 assembly election, Sanjay Nishad said, it was the prerogative of the BJP leadership to give place to alliance partner in the Union Cabinet, but the BJP leaders should know if the displeased Nishad community supports the rival political party in the coming assembly election it will not be easy for the saffron brigade to win 2022 assembly election.
In 2018 Lok Sabha by-poll Parveen Nishad had defeated the BJP candidate from prestigious Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat.
In 2019 Lok Sabha election, Praveen secured victory from Sant Kabir Nagar considered a tough seat, Sanjay Nishad said.
A BJP leader who does not wished to be named said Nishad party chief Sanjay Nishad might be inducted in the state cabinet during the expansion of Yogi Adityanath government.
Meanwhile, with the induction of Pankaj Chaudhary who comes from backward Kurmi community, the BJP has tried to consolidate its base among the OBC whose support is vital for victory in the Lok Sabha seats located in East UP.
In 1990-91, Chaudhary was deputy mayor of Gorakhpur.
