Grassroots groups drum up opposition to the ruling BJP in western U.P.

They adopt a range of strategies, from religious symbolism to social semantics, while Opposition parties try curious methods

“When Krishna-Balram joined hands, they vanquished Kansa. Today, a Haldhar or agriculturist Jat and a gau palak or a cow rearing Yadav have come together to eliminate Kansa — that’s the arrogance of power!” Madhuvant Chaturvedi, convenor of the Qaumi Ekta Manch, a leftist organisation in Mathura, said while addressing a meeting of farmers in Chhata.The Manch is supporting the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance in the rural constituencies of the district, where a large number of farmers participated in the agitation at the Ghazipur border.

Across western Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Kisan Union, small farmer groups and leftist organisations are drumming up sentiments against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while Opposition parties try curious methods to outmaneuvre the ruling party.