Uttar Pradesh: Even As Party Named After Maharaja Suheldev Allies With Owaisi, BJP Set To Celebrate Birth Anniversary Of The Icon Of Hindu Unity 

Uttar Pradesh will be witnessing the celebrations of Maharaja Suheldev's birth anniversary. Preparations are underway for the celebrations by the state government. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state will be paying homage to the warrior revered by the people of the state.

Maharaja Suheldev is one of the most revered Hindu heroes and a warrior king from the eleventh century — known for having mounted a fierce fight against the army of Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud and defeated him.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to mark the celebrations today (16 February) by laying the foundation stone for a memorial dedicated to Maharaja Suheldev.

Maharaja Suheldev is an important representative of Hindu unity, strengthened by the caste diversities in the state, especially to the people of the backward classes. This is the reason that the state government will make its best efforts to express its own reverence to the king.

Preparations for the upcoming panchayat elections in the state, and the 2022 assembly polls, for the BJP mean that the party will continue to work on its contact with the voters of the reserved categories. Attention is being given to those seats that are unreserved.

Last month, in an important political development in the state, Asaduddin Owaisi led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) announced its proximity to Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP). It is all set to fight the 2022 assembly polls to be held in Uttar Pradesh by joining hands with the SBSP.

SBSP, a local outfit, is led by Om Prakash Rajbhar. It was an ally in the BJP-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government in Uttar Pradesh with Rajbhar as a minister. He parted ways with the NDA.

SBSP and AIMIM will be joining other regional parties under the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha — their alliance. Owaisi met his alliance partner Rajbhar in Azamgarh.

Rajbhar had met Shivpal Yadav, who has been making appeals to the smaller and regional political parties to join hands, and has expressed his willingness to join the alliance.

Rajbhar left the NDA in 2019. He shot to limelight during the 1990s when the Bahujan Samaj Party (with Kanshi Ram and Mayawati strengthening the party) was making efforts to firm its position in the state. Rajbhar would be consolidating the support of communities that revere Maharaja Suheldev.

The influence of Rajbhar’s SBSP on nearly 20 seats in Purvanchal today could be the reason why Owaisi wants to have it as a partner in the fight in UP.

Previous governments have ignored celebrations dedicated to Maharaja Suheldev, minister Anil Rajbhar in the Yogi Adityanath government has said.