LUCKNOW: With 2019 Lok Sabha elections inching close, the regional satraps - SP and BSP - have once again got into the alliance mode to come out with a concrete formula and ensure BJP's ouster. On the other, the ruling party is also making an all-out bid for a 2014 redux and minimise the impact of prospective Mahagathbandhan, if it takes shape.
The BJP, besides blending development with tried and tested Hindutva, is also focusing on caste calculations to drive its benefit and sail through in 2019.
The Most Backward Social Justice Committee (MBSJC), which was set up by UP CM Yogi Adityanath early this year to recommend ways for striking a caste balance in society in terms of reservation, has submitted its report recently to the CM.
As per the highly-placed sources, the committee has recommended a three-way division of 27 per cent quota provided to OBCs to accommodate the Most Backward and Extremely Backward classes and the same formula to reach out to Maha-Dalits and Ati-Dalits with reservation benefits from 22. 5 per cent SC/ST quota.
In fact, the committee was constituted with the mandate to tap the possibilities of carving out 'quote within quota' for Maha Backwards and Maha Dalits out of the 27 per cent provided to OBCs and 22.5 percent for SC/ST respectively.
The committee has also recommended that the Dalits should be divided into three categories - Dalits, Ati Dalits and Maha Dalits. While the first two categories should get 7 per cent reservation each, the third category should get 8 per cent quota.
After the recommendations of the committee, BJP has initiated confabulations with its allies -- Apna Dal of Anupriya Patel and Suheldev Baharitya Samaj Party (SBSP) -- to chart out an amicable course of caste calculations acceptable to all.
However, the allies, apparently, hold diagonally opposing views on the issue putting the ruling party in Catch-22 situation.
While Apan Dal, led by Anupriya Patel, is believably opposed to the three-way division of quota for OBCs. It feels that the reservation benefits should percolate down to different castes in accordance to their ratio of population in the society.
Apna Dal, basically, is the representative of Kurmi community which makes considerable 24 per cent of OBCs in UP. Yadavs make the biggest chunk -- 40 per cent -- of OBCs. The Apna Dal feels that straight three-way division of 27 per cent quota will leave backwards with comparatively bigger chunks of population in loss.
Till now, besides Kurmis and Yadavs, other backward castes including Rajbhars, Kamboj, Ghosi, Nishad, Kevat, Bind, Darzi, Kashyap, could hardly get the benefits of quota as their ratio in society is small.
On the contrary, OP Rajbhar, a cabinet minister in Yogi government, has threatened the BJP leadership of walking out of the alliance if the recommendations of the committee were not implemented in totality before 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
1. Uttar Pradesh has combined 49.5 per cent reservation for OBCs and SC/ST
2. Total OBC reservation in UP is 27 per cent
3. Yadavs with 40 per cent make biggest chunk of OBC population followed by Kurmis who constitute 24 per cent.
4. Over 75 castes conform to OBC category in UP.
5. Rajbhars, Kamboj, Ghosi, Nishad, Kevat, Bind, Darzi, Kashyap are some of the castes in OBC category
6. Total quota for SC/ST in UP is 22.5 per cent which is recommended to be divided among dalits (7%), ati-dalits (7%), mahadalits (8%).