A closed-door gathering of nearly 40 Thakur legislators in Lucknow has set off a fresh round of speculation about caste equations in Uttar Pradesh politics. Held last week at Hotel Clarks Avadh under the banner of “Kutumb Parivar,” the meeting, described by organisers as a cultural-social event, has nonetheless fuelled talk of Thakur assertion at a time when the BJP is seeking to consolidate its support base ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
What stood out was the scale of participation close to four dozen MLAs and MLCs across party lines, making it one of the largest caste-centric shows of strength in recent years. Among those present were BJP’s Abhijit Singh Sanga, BSP’s Uma Shankar Singh, expelled SP legislators Rakesh Pratap Singh and Abhay Singh, and MLC Shailendra Pratap Singh, who joined ruling party colleagues in what looked more like a display of solidarity than a social get-together.
“This was not just a birthday party or a routine dinner. It reflects an undercurrent among Thakur leaders who felt ignored during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” political analyst Suresh Bahadur Singh told FPJ. “The dissatisfaction that began in western UP, after General V.K. Singh was denied renomination, now seems to be crystallising into an organised sentiment.”
The optics were striking. Attendees received portraits of Maharana Pratap, idols of Lord Ram, and brass tridents symbols of martial pride and cultural identity. And while organisers, including BJP minister Ramveer Singh and MLC Omveer Singh, insisted the event had no political undertone, few in Lucknow’s political circles are convinced.
The timing too raised eyebrows. The conclave was held on the very first day of the Assembly’s monsoon session, signalling, according to observers, a show of bargaining power. “It was a reminder that community mobilisation can never be written off in UP politics. Even if organisers deny it, the perception of caste assertion is firmly established,” said political commentator R.N. Bajpayee.
That the Thakur community already has two of the country’s most powerful leaders Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh makes the meeting even more intriguing. Was it a bid for more leverage within the BJP, or an expression of unease that the community’s influence is not translating into wider representation?
The BJP, which has kept caste tensions largely in check with its Hindutva and welfare agenda, now faces uncomfortable questions. Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s sharp criticism — “How many pieces will you divide the nation into?” — underlined worries within the party that such community-specific conclaves could puncture its narrative of broader inclusivity.
Launched about 18 months ago with barely half a dozen MLAs, the Kutumb Parivar initiative has grown steadily, with last week’s turnout marking its most powerful showing yet. For many in the political class, it has signalled that despite the BJP’s attempts to subsume caste under the Hindutva umbrella, identity politics still remains a decisive factor in Uttar Pradesh.
As the state inches closer to 2027, the big question is whether the Thakur consolidation will strengthen the BJP or evolve into a pressure group demanding greater say. For now, the Lucknow gathering has revived an old truth caste solidarity in UP is never far from the surface.
