NEW DELHI: As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has signaled his willingness to hold a meeting of all Opposition parties in Bihar after the Karnataka elections, Congress appears to have accepted the key issues championed by regional parties, especially the caste-based parties. The grand old party’s support to the demand for a nationwide caste census is a case in point.
Experts and political observers are increasingly indicating that the Congress is pitching itself behind the social justice parties, letting them lead the agenda of the caste census ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Raising the pitch, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had called for a caste census during the election campaign in Karnataka and the release of the data of Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) conducted by the Congress-led UPA government in 2011. The party also demanded the removal of the 50 per cent cap on SC/ST/OBC reservation.
By endorsing caste census, Congress is positioning itself in a future scenario where it may not take the lead in a coalition, says political analyst Manisha Priyam. “Caste census is not the agenda of Congress. It’s an idea championed by the splinter group of the Janata Parivar. Most notable champion is Nitish Kumar. By endorsing the demand for caste census, Congress is saying that it is willing to let the Mandal parties take the lead and its will move behind them,” said Priyam.
Though Congress hasn’t responded officially to the proposal of a meeting in Bihar, Congress sources have told this paper that discussions will take place only after the Karnataka elections. Stressing that caste census will be the main agenda of Opposition parties in 2024, JD(U) leader and close confidante of Nitish Kumar told this paper that Congress has already joined the bandwagon of social justice parties.
“Social justice parties are already leading the front. Congress is also on board. Many regional parties such as JD (U), SP, BSP and DMK have been pioneers of social justice politics,” he said, adding that the meeting of Opposition parties is likely to be held in the third or fourth week of May after Karnataka polls.
“Mamata Banerjee has proposed the meeting in Bihar and Nitish Kumar welcomed it saying that Bihar is a place for the JP movement. However, the venue will be finalized after talking to all parties,” said Tyagi.
Though Congress track record on reservation policies and social justice are not impressive, political scientist Sandeep Shastri says that changing times call for new coalitions. While first PM Jawaharlal Nehru opposed a caste census in 1951, Indira Gandhi wasn’t in favour of the Mandal Commission report—by the Janata Party government.
“Every political party has shifted its stance on the issue. In the context of changing times and social coalitions parties are taking a stand on social justice. Let’s be fair to them that they are addressing issues which are important,” said Shastri.
“All political parties seek to create a rainbow coalition and they will do their best to form the coalition,” he added.
The Opposition parties will also look to capitalise on the BJP’s u-turn conducting a nation-wide caste census. Though in 2018, the Centre told Parliament that it will conduct a caste census, it changed its stance.