BJP leader Sanjeev Balian and Sangeet Som
Uttar Pradesh, which took the BJP to the heights of power in the last two elections, has brought it to the brink of power in the 2024 elections. The BJP suffered the biggest blow in Uttar Pradesh, losing 28 seats this time compared to 2019. The side effects of the defeat in the state are starting to show. After the defeat in the Muzaffarnagar Lok Sabha seat, the internal discord in the BJP has intensified. The political battle between Sanjeev Balian and Sangeet Som now looks like Jat versus Thakur.
BJP candidate from Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan has demanded action against party leader Sangeet Som. Balyan said that some Jaichands and Vibhishan had managed to mislead people. Some people looked like Shikhandi. This is my fault, I could not explain it to people completely, but the party will see Jaichand as he is. Without naming Sangeet Som, Sanjiv Balyan said that some people are openly contesting for SP here. Here he has held major positions and government facilities. On the question of action against those doing graffiti, he said that this decision has to be taken by the party high command.
Sangeet Som said- I work for the party
After Sanjeev Balian now Sangeet Som also PC in Meerut on Tuesday afternoon. BJP leader Sangeet Som said of Sanjeev Balian that he should know if he is making the comment. I am a BJP worker and work for the party. Now what allegations he has leveled should be asked from him. I work for my party.
However, after the election results, Sangeet Som has said that the BJP has won Muzaffarnagar from his assembly constituency Sarthana. In such a situation, BJP has to find the reasons for the assembly seats it has lost. In such a situation, it is clear that Sangeet Som will openly express his opinion on the allegations of BJP candidate Sanjeev Balian. The political journey of Sangeet Som and Sanjeev Balian started together and gained political recognition after both their names came up in the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Sangeet remained MLA, Balian became MP
While Sangeet Som became an MLA from Sarthana, Sanjeev Balian became an MP and then a minister at the Centre. Sanjiv Balyan became a Union Minister in 2014 and again in 2019, but Sangeet Som lost the 2022 assembly elections. From here there was a dispute between Sanjeev Balian and Sangeet Som. Sangeet Som attributed his defeat to the low turnout of the Jat vote. Sanjeev Balian was accused of this by Sangeet Som. Due to which the mutual dispute between the two leaders started to become intense. The political rivalry of the two leaders came to the fore during the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Sanjeev Balian was trying his luck for the third time from the Muzaffarnagar Lok Sabha seat. Balian was seen making various statements to teach a lesson in the Sangeet Som election. Not only this, the panchayat of the Thakurs started from Muzaffarnagar itself and they were seen openly appealing to vote against the BJP. Even though the Thakur Panchayat was being organized by farmer leader Puran Singh, Sangeet Soma is believed to be behind it. The panchayat was held in several assembly constituencies of Muzaffarnagar, creating an anti-BJP political atmosphere.
During the campaign the caravan was attacked
During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Sanjeev Balyan’s convoy was also attacked in a Thakur’s village in Khatauli assembly constituency. A video of Sangeet Som campaigning with SP candidate Harendra Malik also went viral. Now after the results of the Lok Sabha, Sanjeev Balian has started openly raising questions on Sangeet Som. After Sanjeev Balian, now Sangeet Som will also make a comeback. A mutual dispute between Sangeet Som and Sanjeev Balian led to a split in Rajput society.
This political battle between Sangeet Som and Sanjeev Balian now looks like Thakur vs Jat. While Sangeet Som blames the low Jat votes for his defeat, Sanjeev Balian Thakur attributes his defeat to the dispersion of votes. Not just in Muzaffarnagar, the BJP also worked to cultivate the Thakur and Jat votes after the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, while retaining its core vote bank Saini and Kashyap votes in western UP. Both Jats and Thakur voters have a large strength in western UP region, but the way Sangeet Som and Balian have faced each other, it seems to be Thakur versus Jat.
There may be political consequences
If there is a Jat versus Thakur in western UP, it may suffer political consequences in many seats in the future, as the Jat community resents that the Thakur community and the Sangeet Som have tried their best to defeat Sanjeev Balian. Sanjeev Balian lost by 24000 votes in Muzaffarnagar seat. Even in a Thakur-dominated area, Sanjeev Balian did not get as many votes as the BJP candidate always got. Similarly, supporters of Sangeet Som also believe that the BJP did not get votes in Jat-dominated villages in the 2022 elections, due to which Sangeet Som lost. If the political rivalry continues like this, it could create tension for the BJP.
