Mon Nov 18 20:11:28 UTC 2024: ## Katehari By-Election: SP and BJP Clash Over Reservation and Employment

**Katehari, Uttar Pradesh, November 19, 2024** – The Katehari Assembly constituency is bracing for a crucial by-election on Wednesday, with the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) locked in a fierce contest centered around issues of reservation and employment. The seat, with a significant OBC and SC population, is one of nine in Uttar Pradesh holding bypolls.

The SP, fielding Shobhawati Verma, wife of sitting MP Lalji Verma, is campaigning on the alleged erosion of OBC and SC voting rights and the lack of employment opportunities. Senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav accused the BJP of undermining democratic structures, emphasizing the importance of protecting the voting rights granted by B.R. Ambedkar. Their campaign highlights specific instances of alleged irregularities in government job advertisements and reservation criteria.

In contrast, the BJP, represented by three-time former MLA Dharamraj Nishad, is highlighting the Modi government’s work for OBC communities, including the constitutional status granted to the National Commission for Backward Classes. Nishad’s campaign, marked by controversial hoardings urging voters to either help him win or “place him on his deathbed,” emphasizes the BJP’s commitment to the welfare of disadvantaged groups. The party has deployed a range of influential leaders from Kurmi, Rajbhar, and Nishad communities to garner OBC support, despite not winning the seat since 1991. The BJP’s strategy aims to capitalize on the substantial Kurmi, Rajbhar, and Nishad voter base in the constituency.

The by-election is anticipated to be closely fought, with both parties aggressively targeting the substantial OBC and SC vote banks using different strategies. The outcome will be a significant indicator of the prevailing political sentiment in the region.

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