NEW DELHI: In the upcoming elections in states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, the Congress party has placed a strong emphasis on the issue of social justice, particularly focusing on the enumeration of caste and the provision of reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not shown much interest in addressing the contentious topics of caste-based census and OBC quotas in the Women’s Reservation Bill, which appears to have put it at a disadvantage, say analysts.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has vocally advocated for OBC representation, reiterating his party’s commitment to conducting a caste-based census in Madhya Pradesh, where OBCs constitute half of the state’s population. During a debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi criticised the BJP for not ensuring adequate representation for OBC communities in positions of power and raised questions about their limited presence in the bureaucracy.
Analysts suggest that the Congress’ proactive stance on securing OBC votes may pose challenges for the ruling BJP government, which is already grappling with anti-incumbency sentiments and internal discord. A senior Congress leader said that the party has effectively cornered the BJP by highlighting former chief minister Kamal Nath’s implementation of a 27 per cent OBC reservation in 2019. During Kamal Nath’s brief tenure, the Congress government in the state had raised OBC reservation to 27 per cent via an ordinance.
Furthermore, pressure is mounting on the BJP from its former chief minister Uma Bharti, who is demanding a sub-quota for OBC women within the Women’s Reservation Bill. Observers note that the Congress appears to be successful in its efforts to attract OBC voters away from the BJP, which had previously enjoyed strong support from this community in past assembly elections. During his campaign, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also promised a caste-based census and called for a sub-quota for OBCs within the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Political analyst Sandeep Shastri points out that in states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the caste composition of the electorate is a significant factor in the electoral battle. “When you introduce the factor of OBC and caste census, you are addressing the aspirations of a large segment of society. The election results in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka have demonstrated that the Congress performed better than the BJP in addressing the concerns of the economically disadvantaged,” he remarked.
The focus on OBC politics is also evident in Congress-ruled Rajasthan, where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has expressed support for conducting a caste-based census. Recently, the state government announced an additional six per cent reservation for the most backward castes within the OBC category. In Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has similarly raised the stakes by calling for a nationwide caste census with a separate code for OBCs.