On Tuesday, the BJP began a series of OBC sammelans, or meetings of other backward castes, in Uttar Pradesh to bolster its appeal among non-Yadav OBCs. On September 18, the sessions will culminate in a massive gathering in Ayodhya.
According to party members, the BJP would mostly discuss the work done for OBCs by its governments in the state and at the central level during the meetings.
The move follows the Jan-Ashirwad Yatra of newly inducted Union ministers, which was aimed at reaching out to OBC castes that have been given representation in the Union cabinet.
The BJP has increased its focus on the OBC group at a time when the opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh are preoccupied with Brahmin sammelans.
Apart from Meerut, three successive sessions will be held on September 2, 3, and 4 in Ayodhya, Kanpur, and Mathura. A conference will be held in Kashi on September 8 and another in Gorakhpur on September 9.
“We are mobilising our OBC Morcha cadre on all the assembly seats through these meetings with an aim to once again win the next assembly election,” Narendra Kashyap, state BJP OBC Morcha president, told media. “Through these meetings we are also preparing for the executive meeting on September 18 in Ayodhya.”
Union minister Bhupender Yadav, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh, and other leaders will attend the meeting in Ayodhya.
