Why there’s unease within BJP about party appointments in UP
Lucknow: The recent appointments in BJP district units across Uttar Pradesh have triggered a row, with the issue first surfacing in Ayodhya where the party named Shivendra Singh as the city general secretary despite him reportedly being linked to multiple criminal cases, including under the Gangsters Act.
The matter has gone beyond appointment of a single individual, with concerns and questions being raised from within the party about the overall process used to constitute district executive committees across the state.
Shyam Singh Yadav’s appointment as the Mirzapur district secretary drew attention and sparked dissent within the party ranks because he reportedly faces a murder charge, since 2008.
Senior Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Ramdular Chaudhary said such decisions send a wrong message to the public, and the party should think carefully before appointing such individuals as office-bearers.
He expressed disappointment that an individual accused of murder was given an important organisational responsibility, but added that he stands with the party and will not file any formal complaint.
Asked about this, BJP Mirzapur district president Lal Bahadur Saroj told ThePrint, “We received some complaints about Shyam Singh Yadav, but he has been associated with the BJP for a long time. Now that he has been given a post, many people are unable to digest it. Still, we will conduct an inquiry into the allegations against him and then take a final decision.”
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Row in Ayodhya
In Ayodhya, where the party suffered a notable defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the appointment of Shivendra Singh as the general secretary too turned controversial. What came as a perceived sign of unease within the party was that he was not among the newly appointed office-bearers who visited the Ram Temple for darshan last week.
Since his appointment, a section of local leaders distanced themselves from him and it is being said that serious cases have been registered against Singh, including attempted murder, rioting, extortion, fraud, and criminal conspiracy.
Sources indicate that complete information about the cases against him was not shared at all levels during the appointment process. By the time local verification brought the details to light and some leaders raised objections, the list had already been announced.
A different kind of controversy has surfaced in Lucknow too, where a government school teacher was appointed as the district media in-charge, despite service rules clearly prohibiting government employees from holding positions in political parties.
This has raised administrative and legal concerns. An education department official said, “This is a clear violation of service rules. If a teacher takes an active political role, action can be taken against them.”
However, the teacher concerned argues that the status of a council (parishadiya) teacher is different from a regular teacher. But officials of the department say these arguments don’t work, highlighting ambiguity and laxity in the interpretation of rules during such appointments.
Similarly, the appointment of Jitendra Gaur as the general secretary in Etawah has also sparked a controversy. Local leaders allege that an old video of him has gone viral, in which he made objectionable remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother.
A senior UP BJP leader said, “These appointments have been made in haste just to fill the quorum. With elections approaching, every lobby wants its people in the core team. Individuals with muscle power and money power often join the party, but giving them positions in the committee is worrisome.”
“Our party is known for its workers, not individuals. We must keep our image clean, especially when we are attacking the Samajwadi Party on the same issue,” he added.
Another leader claimed that since Union minister Pankaj Chaudhary took charge as the new state president last December, the process is underway to form new committees from the state down to district level.
The leader said the party has given a free hand to district presidents and prabharis (in-charges), which has led to a rush to fill the quorum and accommodate recommendations from all sides.
“However, the state president should intervene. He appears overburdened because he continues to hold a Union ministry portfolio along with key organisational responsibilities in the state, and may not be able to devote enough time to gather feedback,” the leader said.
ThePrint reached out to BJP state president through calls and texts but there was no response. The story will be updated if and when he responds.
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, “For district units, district presidents are more answerable. They can provide better clarity on controversies related to appointments in their respective districts. Our party is never in favour of giving any post to history-sheeter or mafia. We do not support such politics.”
Some local leaders said not only “controversial” people have been appointed, but party norms have also not been followed in the process of appointment.
”The party’s own guidelines on women’s representation were also not followed,” a senior female functionary told ThePrint.
“As per the rules, it is mandatory to include at least seven women in every district executive committee, but except for Lalitpur, most districts failed to meet this quorum. There is also a provision to include 30 women among district executive members, which remains incomplete in many places,” she said.
Questions have also been raised regarding caste balance.
The party had stated that at least two office-bearers should be from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and that OBC representation should be determined according to local social equations.
“These norms have also not been followed in many district units,” she added.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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