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As the election activity and rumblings of political parties are increasing in the politics of Uttar Pradesh, the trend of defection also seems to be on the rise. Meanwhile, a very big and sensational news has come out from the political corridors of Purvanchal. Former MP and veteran leader Arvind Chaudhary, who has a strong political hold in Basti Lok Sabha seat and surrounding Terai areas, has broken ties with Samajwadi Party (SP) and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The most interesting thing is that Arvind Chaudhary is the nephew of the current and powerful Samajwadi Party MP Ram Prasad Chaudhary. Irrespective of the political opposition from his family, this step of Arvind Chaudhary is being considered as the beginning of a new equation in the politics of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Political analysts believe that this reshuffle has not only created a stir in the local politics of Basti district, but in the coming days, this decision can prove to be an important part of the strategy to tap the Kurmi Voter Bank of Purvanchal.
The political influence of the Chaudhary family in Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar belt is not hidden from anyone. Arvind Chaudhary has been active within the Samajwadi Party and its family political structure for a long time. He has created a distinct identity for himself in the development work of the area and among the public. For some time, his attitude was a bit different regarding local political equations and his neglect or future prospects within the party. When he distanced himself from the top leadership of Samajwadi Party and joined the party in the presence of senior BJP leaders, it was no less than a big shock for political pundits. Experts say that this decision of Arvind Chaudhary has been taken as part of a well-thought-out strategy, so that he can provide a wider platform to his political existence and support base.
The most interesting and politically sensitive aspect of this entire incident is that Arvind Chaudhary is the nephew of senior Samajwadi Party leader and MP Ram Prasad Chaudhary. Ram Prasad Choudhary is one of the few leaders of Purvanchal who has a strong hold on his land and is considered to have a good influence among the backward people and especially the Kurmi community. When a young and influential face from within the family joins the opposing camp i.e. BJP, it naturally impacts family distance as well as political penetration. After this rebellion, the market of discussions has heated up in the local politics of Basti district and it is being speculated that in the coming days, the political tussle within this family may come to the surface even more, and BJP is engaged in a strategy to take direct advantage of it.
Be it Uttar Pradesh elections or general elections, the ‘Kurmi voter class’ of Purvanchal has always played a decisive role in deciding the victory or defeat of any party. There is a significant population of Kurmi community in districts like Basti, Ayodhya, Ambedkarnagar, Siddharthnagar and Gorakhpur. The Bharatiya Janata Party has always been making special strategic efforts to bring the non-Yadav backward classes and especially the Kurmi leadership into its fold. With Arvind Choudhary’s entry into the party, BJP has got a strong young OBC face in Basti and surrounding areas, who can further strengthen the party’s hold within the society. However, it will be very interesting to see what counter-strategy the Samajwadi Party adopts to deal with this political loss, but at present, due to Arvind Chaudhary joining BJP, uneasiness is clearly being felt in the opposition camp and the temperature of Purvanchal politics is going to rise further in the coming days.