Why Brahmin MLAs’ Gathering Has Triggered Political Unease In Uttar Pradesh

Last Updated:January 05, 2026, 15:56 IST

The trigger was a gathering held at the Lucknow residence of Kushinagar BJP MLA PN Pathak (Panchanand Pathak), officially described as a birthday celebration for his wife

BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary (right) met CM Yogi Adityanath, a meeting widely seen in political circles as linked to the fallout of the meeting. (PTI File)

What began as a quiet get-together of Brahmin legislators during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s winter session has triggered loud political tremors within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), forcing the party’s top leadership into a swift damage-control exercise to prevent caste unease from snowballing into an organisational crisis.

The controversy surrounding the December 23 gathering of Brahmin MLAs in Lucknow has pushed the ruling party into an uncomfortable spotlight, exposing internal contradictions on caste mobilisation, discipline, and representation. With the issue refusing to die down, the BJP has roped in former state president and senior Brahmin leader Ramapati Ram Tripathi to pacify disgruntled legislators and restore internal equilibrium.

Tripathi, a former MP from Deoria and a prominent face of the BJP in Purvanchal, met Deoria MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi on Tuesday as part of the outreach. He has also spoken to several Brahmin MLAs over the phone, urging restraint and assuring them that the party leadership is willing to listen. According to sources, Tripathi advised legislators to avoid parallel forums and instead place their concerns before the organisational leadership.

The timing of this intervention is significant. On the same day, BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a meeting widely seen in political circles as linked to the fallout of the Brahmin MLAs’ meeting. Chaudhary had earlier issued a strong warning to the legislators, stating that any such gathering in the future would be treated as “indiscipline" and could invite action.

The trigger

The trigger was a gathering held at the Lucknow residence of Kushinagar BJP MLA PN Pathak (Panchanand Pathak), officially described as a birthday celebration for his wife. Held during the winter session of the legislature, the meeting was attended by nearly 45-50 Brahmin MLAs from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand, along with a few legislators from other parties. Litti-chokha and vrat-friendly food were served, reinforcing claims that it was a social event rather than a political conclave.

However, the optics of such a large caste-specific gathering during an Assembly session unsettled the BJP leadership. Sources say concerns were raised at the highest levels, prompting intervention from the Chief Minister’s Office. It is learnt that CM’s OSD Sarvan Baghel sought clarification from Pathak, who maintained that no political resolutions were discussed.

Senior leaders from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak and BJP also reportedly worked behind the scenes to defuse the situation before it escalated into open rebellion.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the meeting reflected a deeper anxiety among Brahmin legislators. Many feel that while caste-based mobilisation has strengthened other groups within the BJP ecosystem, Brahmins have gradually lost their bargaining power. There is a perception that despite having a deputy chief minister from the community, real authority and influence have shifted elsewhere.

Political analyst Shashikant Pandey, head of the department of political sciences, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, says the unease should not be seen in isolation.

“Brahmins may not be numerically dominant, but historically they have been agenda-setters in Uttar Pradesh politics. When such a group feels that its voice is weakening within a party it overwhelmingly supported, the leadership is bound to take notice. This is less about rebellion and more about renegotiating political space," Pandey pointed out.

BJP downplays controversy

However, the episode has exposed a clear divide within the BJP. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya sought to downplay the controversy, remarking that while the “lens may be wrong", the intent was not. “People meet all the time. A meeting should not automatically be viewed through a caste prism," he said.

Ministers Dharmveer Prajapati and Sunil Sharma echoed similar views, cautioning against reading political motives into routine interactions during Assembly sessions. Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh openly defended the meeting, saying he saw nothing wrong in legislators of a community sitting together.

In contrast, Chaudhary has taken a hard line. In a formal statement, he said such activities go against the party’s constitutional traditions and warned that any repetition would be treated as indiscipline. His firm stance has drawn criticism, especially since meetings by Kshatriya, Lodhi and Kurmi leaders in recent months did not attract similar warnings.

SP, Congress target BJP

Sensing vulnerability, opposition parties have moved quickly. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP leadership of arrogance and disrespect, while Shivpal Yadav openly invited disgruntled Brahmin MLAs to join the SP, promising dignity and space.

Congress state president Ajay Rai alleged selective targeting, claiming that Brahmin leaders were being humiliated while meetings of other caste groups went unquestioned. SP leader Pawan Pandey went further, alleging that the gathering reflected genuine grievances over administrative neglect and lack of respect.

The BJP’s urgency is driven by electoral arithmetic. In the 2022 Assembly elections, nearly 89% of Brahmin voters backed the BJP, according to post-poll estimates. Though Brahmins account for around 11-12% of Uttar Pradesh’s population, their influence extends beyond numbers due to social capital and narrative-setting ability.

Historically, Brahmins have played a decisive role in the state’s politics, producing six chief ministers between Independence and 1989. From backing the BSP’s Brahmin-Dalit experiment in 2007 to supporting the SP in 2012 and the BJP since 2017, their political alignment has often shaped outcomes.

For the BJP, the challenge now is to enforce discipline without alienating a core support base. Whether Ramapati Tripathi’s mediation and the leadership’s next steps can contain the discontent — or whether it leaves lasting scars on the party’s social coalition — will be closely watched in the months ahead.

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