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Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Minister and Nishad Party national president Sanjay Nishad launched a fierce counter-offensive against the Samajwadi Party (SP), telling its leadership to stop fretting over his political future and instead concentrate on saving their own shrinking electoral base. The sharp rebuttal follows days of political buzz sparked by his courtesy meeting with Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey and his remarks warning that he would explore political alternatives if the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ever shut its doors on his community’s core demands.
‘Glass Houses and Crutches’: Minister Targets SP-Congress Friction
Hitting out in a statement on X, Nishad invoked the adage warning those living in glass houses not to cast stones, advising SP leaders to look within before floating rumors about the Nishad Party’s electoral standing. “Instead of wasting time worrying about the seats the Nishad Party will get, they should first sit with the Congress and settle the division of their own seats,” Nishad stated, claiming the Samajwadi Party has struggled to secure even a reliable alliance partner while its own cadre faces internal fractures. He asserted that his party’s presence within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is built on mutual respect and equal partnership rather than political charity.
Invoking the 2015 Kasarwal Incident and Community Pride
Mounting a direct ideological attack, the minister reminded SP leaders of the 2015 Kasarwal agitation in Gorakhpur, alleging that police opened fire on unarmed Nishad community members who were peacefully demanding constitutional rights and reservation during the previous regime. Emphasizing that the community has not forgotten the sacrifices of its martyrs, Nishad declared that fishermen have historical self-respect running in their veins and have never engaged in politics merely to lay carpets for other parties.
Taking Aim at Yadav Stalwarts Ahead of 2027
In a direct political barb aimed at the senior leadership of the Samajwadi Party, Nishad questioned the long-term political roadmap of its veteran figures. “The question is not where Sanjay Nishad will go; the question is where will Shivpal Yadavji and Ramgopal Yadavji themselves go? The SP is continuously shrinking while the Nishad Party’s mass base is expanding,” he asserted. The aggressive posture is widely seen as a tactical move to dismiss rumors of a rapprochement with the SP while simultaneously raising the bargaining stakes for seat allocations within the ruling alliance ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.