Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections have finally come down to OBCs. All the political parties including Congress, BJP and SP are openly playing the game of OBC and are trying to put each other in the anti-OBC dock. While Congress is making efforts to increase caste census and reservation for OBCs to woo voters from Other Backward Classes, BJP is also asking Congress the question of how many CMs should it make from the OBC community. Parties like SP and BSP are trying to become the third political force in MP by terming both Congress and BJP as anti-OBC.
The election battle of Madhya Pradesh did not fall on the OBCs just like that, but behind them lies the secret of capturing power in the state. The ruling party and the opposition are understanding this very well, due to which the OBC issue has become the hottest topic in this election. To garner OBC votes, Congress has not only raised the issue of caste census but has fielded an entire army of backward class leaders, while BJP has also started setting the agenda of OBCs like Congress.
Congress’s focus on OBC in elections
From Rahul Gandhi to Priyanka Gandhi, the entire focus is on OBCs. Both brother and sister are raising the issue of caste census in every election meetings. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has also raised the issue of conducting caste census and increasing the scope of OBC reservation during Madhya Pradesh elections. Rahul Gandhi said that the MP government is run by Shivraj Singh Chauhan and 53 officers. Out of these 53 officers, there is only one officer from backward class. Still, CM Shivraj and PM Modi say that there is a government of backward people in MP. The caste census will be like an ‘X-ray’, which will give complete details of different communities. We will get it done as soon as we come into government.
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OBC became a big issue in elections
At the same time, BJP is also focusing on OBC and ST-SC votes under the leadership of PM Modi and Amit Shah. She is calling herself a true well-wisher of OBCs and is trying to portray Congress as her opponent. From Shivraj Singh Chauhan to Amit Shah and PM Modi are trying to portray Congress as anti-OBC in every rally. PM Modi says that because he is an OBC, Congress people abuse him. While Modi said that Congress people hate OBCs, Shivraj Singh Chauhan said that Congress has neither made any OBC the Prime Minister in the country nor made any OBC the CM in Madhya Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi is misleading the public by falsely talking about caste census.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati are cornering Congress on the issue of caste census. In her very first rally, Mayawati had described Congress and BJP as anti-OBC. At the same time, Akhilesh Yadav is openly targeting Congress. He said that when Congress was in power, this problem could have been solved at that time. If the X-ray had been done at that time, the problem would not have increased. He said that now MRI and CT scan is needed because the disease has progressed. Congress’s demand for caste census is the biggest ‘miracle’, because this is the same party which did not conduct caste census after independence. If we come to power, we will conduct caste census and also increase reservation for OBCs.
Important role of OBC in the politics of Madhya Pradesh
In fact, it is not possible to gain majority in Madhya Pradesh without wooing the largest population, OBCs. OBC class has a lot of influence in the politics of the state and is also in a decisive position in the elections. OBC voters constitute 49 percent of the population, which is considered the core votebank of BJP. In Madhya Pradesh, all the Chief Ministers of BJP have been from OBC community whereas Congress has been handing over the command of power to upper caste leaders only. Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur and Shivraj Singh Chauhan, who come from the OBC community of BJP, have been CMs.
Also read- How many OBC Chief Ministers did Congress make in MP? CM Shivraj Singh’s question to Rahul Gandhi
Happiness in power is impossible without supporting OBCs.
In Madhya Pradesh, 49 percent OBCs get only 14 percent reservation, whereas at the national level and in other states, it is 27 percent. From Uma Bharti to Shivraj Singh Chauhan could not increase the reservation of OBCs. After the coming of the Congress government under the leadership of Kamal Nath in 2018, a step was taken to increase the reservation of OBCs from 14 percent to 27 percent, but due to complications in the court, legal implementation could not be implemented. This is the reason why this time Congress is planning to conduct caste census and increase reservation.
Congress understands very well that the happiness of power in the state is not possible without supporting the OBCs. BJP is confused about reservation, because it is afraid of losing its core vote bank, the upper caste community. That is why, despite wanting to, she is neither talking about caste census nor about increasing OBC reservation. However, BJP has fielded more OBC leaders in the elections by giving them tickets than Congress. BJP has given opportunity to 66 and Congress to 64 OBC candidates, but has maintained silence on the caste census. Congress is trying to break into the OBC vote bank of BJP, for which it has also fielded its OBC leaders in the election campaign. In such a situation, it remains to be seen who gets the political benefit from this?
