The appointment of Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, a former BJP MP from Fatehpur, as chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), that of Rukmani Devi Nishad, sister of former SP MP Phoolan Devi, as president of the Samajwadi Mahila Sabha, has triggered unease within the NISHAD Party, which claims a strong hold over the riverine community in Uttar Pradesh.
NISHAD Party chief Sanjay Nishad questioned what he termed as attempts by both the BJP, its alliance partner, and the Samajwadi Party to woo the riverine community ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
To show influence over the community, Sanjay Nishad had organised a rally in Gorakhpur on March 22, stressing the long-pending demand of the party — Scheduled Caste (SC) status for Nishads and 21 other sub-castes associated with riverine communities.
Referring to the BJP’s defeat in the 2018 Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypoll after chief minister Yogi Adityanath vacated the seat, the NISHAD party, in a statement on Thursday, asserted that it continues to enjoy an “unquestioned hold” over the community despite recent political moves. It said attempts by other parties to elevate leaders from the riverine community would not dent its support base, maintaining that Sanjay Nishad remains the undisputed leader.
The NISHAD Party first made its presence felt in eastern Uttar Pradesh during the 2017 assembly elections by securing a sizeable vote share. It later joined the NDA ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where its candidate Praveen Nishad won from Sant Kabir Nagar. In the 2022 assembly elections, the party won six seats.
Sanjay Nishad reiterated that the alliance with the BJP would continue for the 2027 assembly polls, but warned that the party would not tolerate the “neglect” of the riverine community’s rights. He added that the alliance remains politically and strategically beneficial for both parties.
