Why a Thakur huddle in Uttar Pradesh raised eyebrows: 'Was it a veiled message?'

Although organisers projected the Kutumb Parivar gathering as apolitical, its implications are hard to miss

The gathering of nearly 40 Thakur legislators at Lucknow’s Hotel Clarks Avadh last week under the banner of Kutumb Parivar has injected a fresh dose of caste arithmetic into Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape. While organisers insist it was a cultural-social meet, the timing, scale, and participation have left political observers asking: why now, and why in the middle of the Assembly’s monsoon session?

For the first time in recent years, such a large number of MLAs and MLCs from a single caste — Thakurs or Kshatriyas — came together in a show of solidarity. With about 49 Thakur MLAs in the Assembly, nearly 40 were present, cutting across party lines. Expelled Samajwadi Party legislators Rakesh Pratap Singh and Abhay Singh, BSP’s Uma Shankar Singh, BJP’s Abhijit Singh Sanga, and MLC Shailendra Pratap Singh were among those who joined hands with ruling party colleagues.

“This meeting cannot be dismissed as a mere dinner or birthday celebration, as claimed by organisers,” said political analyst Suresh Bahadur Singh. “It reflects an undercurrent of unease among Thakur leaders after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when many in the community felt sidelined during ticket distribution. The disenchantment that started in western UP, after General VK Singh was denied renomination, seems to be finding organised expression.”

Although organisers projected the Kutumb Parivar gathering as apolitical, its implications are hard to miss because both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh belong to the Thakur community. With two of the most powerful figures in state and national politics already representing the caste, the decision of nearly four dozen Thakur legislators to huddle separately has raised many questions — is it a bid for greater leverage within the BJP, or a signal of dissatisfaction that the community’s influence is not translating into wider political representation?

The BJP, which has been in power in Uttar Pradesh for eight years, has so far kept caste fault lines under control through its Hindutva plank and welfare schemes. But insiders admit that discontent among Thakur leaders is real. “The question is whether this was just a social solidarity exercise or a veiled message to the BJP leadership that the community cannot be ignored ahead of 2027,” said R.N. Bajpayee, a Lucknow-based political observer.

Adding to the intrigue, former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh publicly criticised the event, remarking: “How many pieces will you divide the nation into?” His sharp words underscored concerns within the party that such community-specific congregations may weaken the broader narrative of inclusivity.

The symbolism of the meet was also telling. Attendees were gifted idols of Lord Ram, portraits of Maharana Pratap, and brass tridents — markers of cultural identity and martial heritage. While organisers, led by BJP minister Ramveer Singh and MLC Omveer Singh, maintained it was a non-political get-together, the optics suggested otherwise.

Political circles in Lucknow have been rife with speculation ever since photos of the gathering circulated on social media. “The fact that nearly four dozen legislators, overwhelmingly from the same community, assembled on the first day of the Assembly session sends a message of collective bargaining power,” said Bajpayee. “Even if the organisers deny it, the perception of caste mobilisation is now firmly established.”

The Kutumb Parivar initiative began modestly about 18 months ago with barely half a dozen MLAs. Its steady growth and the turnout in this latest meet mark its coming of age. More importantly, it signals that caste identity remains a potent force in UP politics despite the BJP’s attempts to transcend it through its larger Hindutva narrative.

As the state looks ahead to the 2027 Assembly polls, the big question is whether the ruling party can keep its traditional Thakur base firmly aligned, or whether rumblings of discontent could translate into fissures. For now, the Lucknow conclave has served as a reminder that community solidarity, when channelled, still has the power to shift political equations in Uttar Pradesh.