Congress set to revive its OBC cell in Uttar Pradesh
With the BJP-led Centre deciding to include caste enumeration in the next decadal census, the Congress party is contemplating reviving its dissolved Other Backwards Classes (OBC) cell in Uttar Pradesh. The party’s high command is understood to have adopted a resolution at a recent meeting held in New Delhi demanding a quota for private educational institutions. The move assumes significance when the party is drawing a strategy to reach out to OBCS as part of its social justice agenda. The Congress had dissolved its state OBC cell on February 27, 2025, to pave the way for reorganising and revamping the leading organisation.
RLD in poll mode ahead of panchayat elections
Union Minister Jayant Chaudhury’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has started preparing for next year’s state panchayat polls. Party’s poll groundwork, performance of state leadership and fine-tuning of its alliance strategy, topped the agenda of the party’s core group meeting held this week. Top leaders attended the meeting, including party national vice-president Yashveer Singh and national general secretary (organisation) Trilok Tyagi.
Paradigm shift: Maya decentralises power
In a move aimed at decentralisation of power in Mayawati’s BSP, for the first time, party state president Vishwanath Pal presided over a meeting of the state unit. This was in line with Mayawati’s reiteration of giving the “hardworking” cadre the chance to “grow and move ahead” in the party setup. Pal said he obeyed Behenji. She’d made it clear that Pal or another senior leader would review the work assigned to the party’s UP unit in her absence. With Mayawati camping in Delhi, the state chief met the district conveners of the ‘bhaichara’ (brotherhood) committees.
namita bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com