From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: As a strategy, the Congress is focusing on the OBC (Other backward Classes) in the current Karnataka Assembly elections and it has also conveyed to the opposition parties joining hands in the Lok Sabha elections to better use the OBC policy in the Lok Sabha elections.
Rahul Gandhi raised the demand for the caste census in the poll campaign in Kolar, showing a new twist in the Congress politics and backing Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s stress on the caste count.
So far, the Congress used to focus on forward castes, dalits and minorities. In his campaign, Rahul endorsed the idea of the right as per the percentage off the population. The Congress focused on the OBC politics after meetings with Nitish Kumar, Tejaswi Yadav and Sharad Pawar.
In Karnataka, OBCs count for 22% population and influence about 30 Assembly seats. In the last elections, the BJP had scored 50% OBC votes in the Assembly elections. In the last Lok Sabha elections the BJP bagged 37.4% OBC votes asagainst Congress 19.5% and regional parties 26.4%. If all parties come together, they can score 45% OBC votes.
In Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh that go to the Assembly polls this year-end, the OBC vote banks play important role. In Rajasthan, OBCs count for 55% votes and they have influence over as many seats in the Assembly. There are 60 OBC seats in the Rajasthan Assembly while 11 of the 25 Lok Sabha members from the state are 11.
Madhya Pradesh has 48% OBC voters and 60 MLAs in the state assembly are from OBC section. After the last Assembly polls, the Congress government of Kamal Nath had increased the OBC reservation from 14 to 27%.
Chhattisgarh also has 47% OBCs. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel comes from the OBC. In 2018 elections, the OBCs shifted to the Congress. Baghel is confident of second term with the strength of the OBC voters.
The most important are the OBC voters in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who helped the BJP win the elections with a shift in its OBC policy. The BJP will be the loser if the Congress and the regional parties focus on the OBCs.
