Lucknow, Sep 2 (IANS): Even as the BJP in Uttar Pradesh is making efforts to assuage the feelings of Brahmins who are reportedly upset at being side-lined, it is now the Kayastha community that appears to be up in arms against the ruling party.
Posters highlighting the Kayastha community's absence in the BJP's new state executive have come up at main crossings of the city.
While the BJP terms it as a conspiracy of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress to tarnish its image, party leaders feel that the Kayastha community, which has traditionally voted for the party since the days of the Jan Sangh, is feeling upset.
The posters, which go with the hashtag '#BJP neglects Kayasthas', have been pasted in several localities.
One of the posters says "Kayasthon ab to jaag jao, ya phir hamesha ke liye so jao' (Kayasthas wake up now or go to sleep forever).
Another one says, "BJP ko dhanyawad- party ke bandhuva voters Kayastha samaj ko koi sthan na dene ke liye" (Thanks to the BJP for not offering any post in its state executive to the Kayastha community).
O P Srivastava, a member of the state executive of the ruling party, defended the new committee by saying that the party did not decide upon any post on the basis of caste and community.
Denying any resentment, he further said that members of the Kayastha community should not feel dejected as the party has many plans for them too.
It may be recalled that state president of the BJP, Swatantra Dev Singh, had announced a new executive panel last week, comprising 42 office-bearers. Not a single significant post was given to any Kayastha leader.
The BJP's new executive comprises seven general secretaries, 16 vice- presidents and 16 secretaries.
In the previous committee too, the Kayasthas were denied any representation and after a strong protest, the community was assured of being given due representation in the new team. However, they have been denied the same once more.
A Kayastha leader in the party said, "The BJP does not have any Kayastha mayor or MLC. No member from the community has been sent to the Rajya Sabha or named governor of any state. This, despite the fact, that Kayasthas have always supported the BJP."