A gathering of the BJP’s backward class allies from Uttar Pradesh in Delhi, in which prominent leaders of the ruling party were absent, has the political circles abuzz. Calling themselves the “actual PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) platform”, the four parties representing the Other Backward Class (OBC) communities of Jats, Rajbhars, Nishads, and Patels in Delhi’s Talkatora stadium on Wednesday drew the attention of both the BJP and the Opposition.
While Union Health Minister J P Nadda, the BJP president, and other senior party leaders were invited but could not turn up, eyebrows were raised about the absence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other senior UP BJP leaders. Scotching any rumours, NISHAD Party leaders said this was due to the event — the 10th anniversary of their party’s foundation — being held in Delhi. However, NISHAD Party leader and state minister Sanjay Nishad’s call to gherao the UP Assembly if these communities’ demand for reservation were not met with attention.
“Maharaj (Yogi Adityanath) has always been there in our functions in Lucknow and Gorakhpur. However, since this event was in Delhi thus we thought of inviting Nadda ji personally, but he could not attend because of the ongoing Vice-President nomination. It certainly turned into a rare occasion, where all the NDA allies united on a single platform in such a manner. It has left us all thinking that probably we can have more such occasions in the future as well,” said a senior functionary of the NISHAD Party, whose main support base is the riverine castes.
“There is a narrative of PDA going on in UP, but this stage was the actual platform for the unity of the PDA leadership. When the pain felt by all is the same, then can’t the stage be the same?” Sanjay Nishad told The Indian Express. Emphasising the need for OBCs to unite on a common platform, Nishad said political history had shown these communities become powerful when they come together.
At the event, Nishad said the gathering had proved the Nishad community would not “compromise on its rights and entitlements under any circumstances”. “If our people can come to Delhi, they can also march to surround the Assembly in Lucknow. We must fulfil the dreams of our ancestors and secure a strong future for our coming generations,” he said.
His fellow UP Minister and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader Om Prakash Rajbhar took a dig at Opposition parties that claim to represent OBC interests. The PDA is a formulation popularised by the Samajwadi Party (SP) in its pivot to expand beyond its traditional Muslim-Yadav core base.
“The so-called PDA leaders have only exploited the backward and Scheduled Castes, including Nishads, Kevats, Mallahs, Binds, Kashyaps, Bhars, Rajbhars, Patels, Kurmis, and Jats. For 70 years, the Congress and for 19 years, the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party discriminated against our castes like flies in milk. But today, the red flag of the Nishad Party waving in Delhi indicates that if our community is denied its rights, then not just Delhi, but the Assembly in Lucknow too will be surrounded,” said Rajbhar, backing Nishad’s gherao call. The Rajbhar community is the primary base of the SBSP.
“We are all part of NDA. We were invited by Sanjay Nishad ji and it is true that it became a stage for all the backwards fighting for social justice to be united on the same platform. It is too early to say much,” said a senior Apna Dal (Soneylal) leader. In recent months, the Apna Dal (S), whose leader Anupriya Patel is a Union Minister, has looked to expand beyond its Kurmi vote base and reach out to other backward classes to be in a position to go solo in the 2027 Assembly elections, if needed, or at the very least gain more leverage while bargaining with the BJP.
Apna Dal (S) leader Ashish Patel, Anupriya’s husband, said the key to power lay with the four parties on the stage. “Today, the real PDA is present on this stage — RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal), SBSP, Nishad Party, and Apna Dal (S). The key to power lies with these four parties.”
The Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD, which recently saw a state minister from the BJP, Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan, launch a broadside against it, sent its MLA Chandan Chauhan to Talkatora. However, it refused to comment on the BJP’s absence from the event.
“We are all allies of NDA. There was an invitation from the Nishad Party and we all participated in it. The BJP leadership may not have been able to attend, but the fact remains that our unity will further strengthen the NDA alliance and that is what all of us aim for,” RLD national general secretary Anil Dubey told The Indian Express.
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said there were no differences between his party and its allies. “There is neither any ‘matbhed’ nor any ‘manbhed’ (differences of opinion) among the allies. They had invited national leadership because decision regarding allies is taken by the central leadership and it is clear they could not attend because of the V-P polls. The allies and the alliance are very much intact,” he said.
SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, “Everyone knows that there is only one true leader of PDA in the country and that is Akhikesh Yadav. Whatever happened in Delhi was all sponsored by the BJP as they are afraid of our PDA narrative and are trying to divert attention through their allies. But the public will see through their tactics.”