BJP eyes Yadav support as political strategy shifts

Patna: The state BJP on Friday signalled a clear intention to widen its outreach among Yadav voters — traditionally the core base of Lalu Prasad's RJD — while continuing to consolidate its longstanding support among the upper-caste Bhumihar community. This comes amid an increasingly competitive political environment in the state with the Congress also working to regain influence.State BJP president Dilip Kumar Jaiswal made a strategic move by inducting RJD leader Ajeet Kumar Yadav from Jehanabad, along with his supporters, into the party at a function held at the BJP headquarters in Patna. Later that day, addressing an event organised by the Education Research and Development Foundation at the Bihar Industries Association hall to commemorate the 75th death anniversary of Sahajanand Saraswati, Jaiswal said, "The thoughts of Sahajanand Saraswati are more relevant in the present times."He added, "Whether it is the central government under PM Narendra Modi or the state govt led by CM Nitish Kumar, both are advancing based on his ideas. The govt is working for the benefit of farmers." Jaiswal cited Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, who referred to Saraswati as a messiah for the oppressed, and American historian Walter Hauser, who studied his contributions.Present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Rajya Sabha MP BhimPraising Ajeet Kumar Yadav's popularity in the Magadh and Shahabad regions, Jaiswal said, "It is a matter of immense joy that he has quit the RJD and joined the BJP. This will create a new atmosphere in our favour."Without naming Lalu Prasad, Jaiswal added, "Today, nationally, the BJP has the maximum number of Yadav caste MLAs and MPs, yet some people continue to claim that the Yadavs are only with them."