BHUBANESWAR: With politics intensifying over reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Backward Classes (BCs) ahead of panchayat elections in the State early next year, the ruling BJD has planned several measures to appease these sections in the coming days.
Sources said large-scale changes are being planned both at the ministry and organisational levels of the party to give prominence to OBC and BC leaders. Though discussions over the issue are going on at the party level, a concrete decision is yet to be taken. A cabinet reshuffle is likely to happen any time after the monsoon session of the Assembly after September 9. Sources said significant changes are likely to take place and some OBC leaders of the party are likely to get important portfolios.
Sources said, creation of the post of deputy chief minister cannot be ruled out. If the post is created, it will be for the first time since Naveen Patnaik took over as Chief Minister 22 years back. A senior BJD leader said speculations are rife, but a clear picture will emerge only after the monsoon session of the Assembly. However, in the coming days, senior leaders like Padmanabha Behera, Prafulla Mallik, Sashibhusan Behera, Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, Sudam Marandi and Tukuni Sahu are likely to get prominence in party as well as the government.
BJD has already announced that it will field 27 per cent OBC candidates in the coming panchayat elections. The reservation of seats along with those for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe will cross 50 per cent, the ceiling fixed by the Supreme Court. As the State government is going to bring a bill to amend panchayat laws in the monsoon session to confirm to the ceiling fixed by the Supreme Court, sources said OBC candidates will be fielded from general seats to reach the target of 27 per cent.
However, the government will face criticism from the Opposition political parties who are demanding 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in jobs and educational institutions. This will be major issue for the Opposition BJP and Congress in the ensuing panchayat polls.