VIP gearing up fight UP polls: Sahni

The Vikashsheel Insaan Party (VIP), a constituent in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, is planning to contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year and is in the process of identifying 150 seats where it could put up candidates, party chief Mukesh Sahni has said

The Vikashsheel Insaan Party (VIP), a constituent in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, is planning to contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year and is in the process of identifying 150 seats where it could put up candidates, party chief Mukesh Sahni has said.

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He said his party might enter into an alliance with like-minded parties. “We have identified around 150 seats where the party could field candidates. The Nishads and other subcastes in the community in UP for 14% of the state’s population,” Sahni said, referring to the caste he belongs to.

Nishads traditionally have been a fishermen and boatmen community.

Sahni, who holds the portfolio of animal husbandry and fish resources department in Bihar government, said the party would be observing the death anniversary of slain former MP Phoolan Devi on July 25 across all districts in UP as a part of its focus to mobilise Nishads and other subcastes in the community that are part of other backward classes (OBC).

Phoolan Devi, a bandit-turned-politician, was killed on July 25, 2001, in New Delhi.

UP has a total of 403 assembly seats. Over the years, Nishads have emerged as an important electoral constituency.

“Our first preference will be to fight an alliance with the BJP as I am part of the NDA. But we are keeping our options open,” said Sahni (39), a former Bollywood set designer who formed VIP in 2018.

In 2019, the party fought parliamentary polls from three seats in Bihar in alliance with RJD and Congress, but drew a blank.

Sahni is said to be upset over being ignored in selection of nominees for 12 MLCs from Governor’s quota in March this year and NDA leaders are of the view that he may be using the UP card to gain more clout and also seal his re-election as MLC next year.

“But how far will BJP would accommodate his wishes is not clear because VIP has negligible presence organizationally in UP,” said a senior NDA leader, wishing not to be quoted.

The BJP-led government in UP under Yogi Adityanath is facing challenge from Samajwadi Party, BSP and Congress.

Just ahead of Bihar assembly polls last year, VIP when had walked out of the RJD-led opposition alliance over not getting adequate seats and tied up with NDA.

BJP gave VIP 11 seats to contest, of which it won four seats. Sahni himself lost from Simri Bakhtiarpur and got elected as MLC in January this year. “We will be observing Shahadat diwas of Phoolan Devi on July 25 across UP. I will be attending a programme in Gorakhpur . We are also planning to invite leaders from NDA .On July 3 , we also have a programme in Lucknow to open offices in all divisions,” Sahni said.