10-21-2012, 10:20 PM
Purvanchal
Riots, Rai killing: Advantage BJP?
LUCKNOW: More the heat created by riots and assassinations in eastern Uttar Pradesh, more likely the fortunes of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will soar.
Though the Purvanchal region of the state has always been a hot-bed of violence, the colours and connotations this time around are different.
The turf-war here, which was confined to the contracts and tenders related to railways, coal and the like, has acquired communal colours. The politicisation of this struggle is set to pit Samajwadi Party (SP) against the BJP.
Eastern UP is constituted mainly by Varanasi, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Basti, Devipatan, Faizabad, Allahabad, and Vindhyachal mandals (divisions). The districts worst affected by the recent spate of arson are Mau, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Ballia, Azamgarh, Jaunpur and Allahabad. The fallout of these incidents has also been on the neighbouring districts.
A look at the main protagonists reportedly involved in the murders and riots does raise suspicions that there may be a design and motive behind the killings and the rioting that has followed.
The list consists of dons-turned-politicians like Mukhtar Ansari, MLA from Mau; Atiq Ahmed from Allahabad; Krishnanand Rai, slain MLA from Mahmoodabad; Brajesh Singh from Chandauli; Ajai Rai, active in Varanasi; Ramakant and Umakant Yadav from Azamgarh among others.
Sources confirm that it is difficult to touch Ansari and Ahmed as they enjoy the patronage of the party in power. These two are also reportedly close to Siwan's Shahabuddin.
The number of politicians with dubious backgrounds who have been gunned down shows the BJP as the worst-hit. BJP MLC Ajit Singh was shot by his own gunner. Though this was painted as a mishap, the involvement of a mafia-politician has not been ruled out. Raju Pal, who defeated Atiq Ahmed's brother, was shot dead, and the killing was given a caste angle.
Ghanashyam Shukla, BJP MLA from Gonda, died an unnatural death. And the latest to face the enemy's bullet is mafia-turned politician Krishnanand Rai, who was a sworn enemy of Mukhtar Ansari and his brother, Afzal Ansari, SP MP from Ghazipur.
Going by the number of MLAs and MPs, SP is the most powerful party in eastern UP, followed by the BSP. But the polarisation of votes between the two communities may propel the BJP as a hot contender for the top post.
However, BJP politicians vehemently refute that they are playing communal politics. The major hindrance for the BJP is that it does not have any prominent leader left in the Purvanchal belt.
Keshari Nath Thripati, former assembly speaker and state party president argues, "there is no communal situation. Krishananand's murder was a political murder. Mulayam Singh is playing appeasement politics towards the minorities. The murder was done with the government's connivance." He alleges that SP wants to eliminate the leaders of the majority community.
The assassinations and the communal situation that has emerged has undoubtedly given the BJP a fresh lease of life in the state, post-Hindutva.
The other two political players, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress, are likely to get marginalised if the political landscape continues to get polarised further. Barkhu Ram Verma, BSP state president, refuses to get drawn into the debate. He argues, "let us leave it to the public. We will know the real picture after the elections. All we want are elections as soon as possible."
Riots, Rai killing: Advantage BJP?
LUCKNOW: More the heat created by riots and assassinations in eastern Uttar Pradesh, more likely the fortunes of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will soar.
Though the Purvanchal region of the state has always been a hot-bed of violence, the colours and connotations this time around are different.
The turf-war here, which was confined to the contracts and tenders related to railways, coal and the like, has acquired communal colours. The politicisation of this struggle is set to pit Samajwadi Party (SP) against the BJP.
Eastern UP is constituted mainly by Varanasi, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Basti, Devipatan, Faizabad, Allahabad, and Vindhyachal mandals (divisions). The districts worst affected by the recent spate of arson are Mau, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Ballia, Azamgarh, Jaunpur and Allahabad. The fallout of these incidents has also been on the neighbouring districts.
A look at the main protagonists reportedly involved in the murders and riots does raise suspicions that there may be a design and motive behind the killings and the rioting that has followed.
The list consists of dons-turned-politicians like Mukhtar Ansari, MLA from Mau; Atiq Ahmed from Allahabad; Krishnanand Rai, slain MLA from Mahmoodabad; Brajesh Singh from Chandauli; Ajai Rai, active in Varanasi; Ramakant and Umakant Yadav from Azamgarh among others.
Sources confirm that it is difficult to touch Ansari and Ahmed as they enjoy the patronage of the party in power. These two are also reportedly close to Siwan's Shahabuddin.
The number of politicians with dubious backgrounds who have been gunned down shows the BJP as the worst-hit. BJP MLC Ajit Singh was shot by his own gunner. Though this was painted as a mishap, the involvement of a mafia-politician has not been ruled out. Raju Pal, who defeated Atiq Ahmed's brother, was shot dead, and the killing was given a caste angle.
Ghanashyam Shukla, BJP MLA from Gonda, died an unnatural death. And the latest to face the enemy's bullet is mafia-turned politician Krishnanand Rai, who was a sworn enemy of Mukhtar Ansari and his brother, Afzal Ansari, SP MP from Ghazipur.
Going by the number of MLAs and MPs, SP is the most powerful party in eastern UP, followed by the BSP. But the polarisation of votes between the two communities may propel the BJP as a hot contender for the top post.
However, BJP politicians vehemently refute that they are playing communal politics. The major hindrance for the BJP is that it does not have any prominent leader left in the Purvanchal belt.
Keshari Nath Thripati, former assembly speaker and state party president argues, "there is no communal situation. Krishananand's murder was a political murder. Mulayam Singh is playing appeasement politics towards the minorities. The murder was done with the government's connivance." He alleges that SP wants to eliminate the leaders of the majority community.
The assassinations and the communal situation that has emerged has undoubtedly given the BJP a fresh lease of life in the state, post-Hindutva.
The other two political players, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress, are likely to get marginalised if the political landscape continues to get polarised further. Barkhu Ram Verma, BSP state president, refuses to get drawn into the debate. He argues, "let us leave it to the public. We will know the real picture after the elections. All we want are elections as soon as possible."