UP elections 2022: Upset farmers or Brahmins? BJP takes stock on Lakhimpur fallout

The BJP on Monday held a four-hour long meeting to assess the impact of Lakhimpur Kheri farmer killings on the UP elections slated to be held early next year, reports said.

The deaths and tardy police response have infuriated farmers, who have also demanded sacking of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra. Farmers were run over by cars allegedly from his convoy. He had met Home Minister Amit Shah last week and reports indicate that the government is not inclined to seek his resignation.

The minister's son, Ashish Mishra, is in custody for allegedly running his car over farmers, killing four.

Reports say that for the BJP, the choice is between alienating farmers or the Brahmins, who comprise 11% of the state's population and are seen as upset with the BJP.

Mishra belongs to the Brahmin community, who though numerically small, are of crucial political importance given their clout. Ajay Mishra has considerable clout in the Terai area and he has the image of a muscleman. The BJP has in the last few months worked hard to placate Brahmins, who were seen upset with CM Yogi Adityanath, a Rajput.

Another worry for the BJP would be that the Lakhimpur incident has brought the farmers' agitation to Eastern UP with full force. The protest was till now largely seen as a Western UP agitation.