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In the latest episode of The Caravan Baatcheet, host Vishnu Sharma is in conversation with staff writer Sunil Kashyap on the growing Thakur-versus-others dynamics and how it is creating fresh challenges for the BJP.
The Thakur community, especially with the aid of the Karni Sena—a militia that derives its strength from the community—has consolidated its support for Adityanath. The state government has also been accused of favouring the caste by nominating its members to key positions of power at local levels. Two journalists in September 2024 were booked for questioning the rise of “Thakur Raj” based on a complaint that referred to Adityanath as “Maharaj” and said he was “like an incarnation of God.” The government’s Thakur bias was perhaps most highlighted by its treatment towards gangsters. Adityanath has long tried to project a persona as a strong chief minister who has rid Uttar Pradesh of crime. However, the government has been accused of extrajudicial killings of gangsters belonging to other castes, with Akhilesh calling the state police’s Special Task Force a “Special Thakur Force.”
This approach has disrupted the BJP’s carefully calibrated caste arithmetic in Uttar Pradesh. The unchecked dominance granted to Thakurs has bred resentment within the party, creating a sense of alienation among other communities. As a result, Sunil Kashyap argues, the BJP faces a much tougher road heading into the next assembly elections.