SP leaders raise eyebrows over Jaiveer’s affinity with RSS

Party leaders are worried that rivals could make it an issue among Muslim voters to dent the Samajwadi Party during civic polls next month

MEERUT Samajwadi Party’s newly appointed district president Jaiveer Singh’s affinity with the RSS has raised many an eyebrow within the party ahead of the urban bodies’ polls in UP.

Jaiveer Singh (first in row) in Ganvesh attire. The picture was published in local newspapers after an RSS programme in February 2018 and is now being circulated to show his link with the outfit. (Sourced)

Party leaders said this appointment would send a wrong message among minority voters and those who believe in Samajwad. Jaiveer Singh’s photographs in ‘Ganvesh’ attire (RSS uniform) started surfacing soon after he was made the district president, and party leaders shared it with each other expressing concern over its adverse impact on voters.

Satish Choudhary, former district president of SP’s lawyers’ wing (Samajwadi Adhivakta Sabha) admitted that the decision has disappointed many dedicated workers and leaders. He said Jaiveer’s photographs in RSS attire in public domain indicates his affinity with the RSS and how voters and leaders, who believe in Samajwad, would take it.

“The appointment will send a wrong message among voters and is also not good for the image of the party. Hence, the high command should think over it,” said Choudhary.

Jafar Khan, former city president of the SP lawyers’ wing, reminded that the party registered victory on four out of seven assembly seats in the previous election under the leadership of the then district president Rajpal Singh. “It was unfortunate that he was replaced,” he said.

SP MLA from Meerut city, Rafeeq Ansari, also expressed unhappiness over the appointment and said people are questioning the party’s decision. “This is sending a wrong message among the voters and party,” he said.

A senior party leader said the SP might have appointed Choudhary Jaiveer Singh to maintain balance between SP’s two local stalwarts - former minister Shahid Manzoor and Atul Pradhan. “But Jaiveer’s affinity with the RSS would dent the SP’s image,” he added.

Party leaders shared that Jaiveer was district president in Meerut during the Samajwadi Party regime and was expelled for six years for “his involvement in anti-party activities.” He then joined the BJP and attended a programme of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in Meerut in 2018.

After a few years, he managed his re-entry into the SP and is now appointed as district president. But party leaders are worried that rivals could make it an issue among Muslim voters to dent the Samajwadi party during civic polls next month.