<p>Lucknow: Apparently eyeing the support of the electorally influential "Nishad" (boatman) community, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has appointed "bandit queen"-turned-politician and former MP Phoolan Devi’s sister Rukmani Devi as his party’s Women’s Wing chief in the state ahead of the next year’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.</p>.<p>Rukmani Devi, who hails from the Nishad community, is the elder sister of Phoolan Devi, who was shot dead outside her residence in Delhi in 2001.</p>.<p>Rukmani was earlier with the Manav Samaj Party, and joined the SP in 2019. She was considered close to Akhilesh, and has been active in the Bundelkhand region.</p>.<p>Her appointment was apparently aimed at denting the BJP's OBC vote bank, especially the electorally influential Nishad community, which has a sizeable presence in around 80 Assembly constituencies in the state.</p>.<p>The Nishads — also known as "Mallah" (boatmen and fishermen) — form around 4% of UP's total electorate, and are in a position to decide the outcome on several seats in the eastern UP districts of Mirzapur, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ballia, Mau, Bhadohi, and Prayagraj, besides others.</p>.<p>SP leaders here said her appointment would also strengthen the party in the Bundelkhand region, where the party fared poorly in the 2022 Assembly elections.</p>.<p>"Rukmani Devi is from the Jalaun district in Bundelkhand, and has been socially and politically active there for quite some time… She has taken up issues concerning women and the OBCs… Her appointment is certain to expand our support base in the region," a senior SP leader told <em>DH</em> here.</p>.<p>The Nishad Party, which is an alliance partner in the BJP government and claims to be the community's sole representative, however, dismissed assertions that Rukmani Devi would be able to get the community's support.</p>.<p>"Ours is the only party that truly represents the Nishad community…. She won’t be able to make any dent in our support base," said a Nishad Party leader here.</p>
<p>Lucknow: Apparently eyeing the support of the electorally influential "Nishad" (boatman) community, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has appointed "bandit queen"-turned-politician and former MP Phoolan Devi’s sister Rukmani Devi as his party’s Women’s Wing chief in the state ahead of the next year’s Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.</p>.<p>Rukmani Devi, who hails from the Nishad community, is the elder sister of Phoolan Devi, who was shot dead outside her residence in Delhi in 2001.</p>.<p>Rukmani was earlier with the Manav Samaj Party, and joined the SP in 2019. She was considered close to Akhilesh, and has been active in the Bundelkhand region.</p>.<p>Her appointment was apparently aimed at denting the BJP's OBC vote bank, especially the electorally influential Nishad community, which has a sizeable presence in around 80 Assembly constituencies in the state.</p>.<p>The Nishads — also known as "Mallah" (boatmen and fishermen) — form around 4% of UP's total electorate, and are in a position to decide the outcome on several seats in the eastern UP districts of Mirzapur, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ballia, Mau, Bhadohi, and Prayagraj, besides others.</p>.<p>SP leaders here said her appointment would also strengthen the party in the Bundelkhand region, where the party fared poorly in the 2022 Assembly elections.</p>.<p>"Rukmani Devi is from the Jalaun district in Bundelkhand, and has been socially and politically active there for quite some time… She has taken up issues concerning women and the OBCs… Her appointment is certain to expand our support base in the region," a senior SP leader told <em>DH</em> here.</p>.<p>The Nishad Party, which is an alliance partner in the BJP government and claims to be the community's sole representative, however, dismissed assertions that Rukmani Devi would be able to get the community's support.</p>.<p>"Ours is the only party that truly represents the Nishad community…. She won’t be able to make any dent in our support base," said a Nishad Party leader here.</p>