Bihar's VIP party enters UP's political arena ahead of 2022 assembly elections

By Kamna Hajela
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 3 : With assembly elections round the corner, Uttar Pradesh has become a happy hunting ground for small political parties.
The latest to foray into Uttar Pradesh is the Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) from Bihar, mainly a party of the fishermen community. It is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and has one minister in the Bihar cabinet.
With an eye on Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the president of VIP and a minister in the Bihar cabinet, Mukesh Sahni will inaugurate his party office in Lucknow.
The state president of VIP, Chaudhury Lautanram Nishad said that the party is all set to contest in the upcoming assembly polls.
"There are around 13 per cent voters of the fishermen community in Uttar Pradesh but their representation in the power is less," said Chaudhury Lautanram Nishad.
"Neither the former Samajwadi government nor BJP has given proper representation to the community," he added.
He claimed that in 157 assembly segments of Uttar Pradesh there are a good number of voters belonging to the fishermen community.
The party may ask its alliance partner BJP for few seats to contest in the coming assembly polls.
VIP has its influence in areas of Bihar which are very close to border districts of UP mainly Mahrajganj, Kushinagar, Deoria, Balia and Sant Kabirnagar.
The Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are scheduled to take place next year.