BJP holds high-level meeting to step up outreach to OBCs

Meeting was attended by senior leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, BJP chief JP Nadda and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath

The BJP on Thursday held a high-level meeting to sharpen its outreach among the OBC community that is considered as a key vote bank for the party.

The BJP on Thursday holds a high-level meeting to sharpen its outreach among the OBC community. (ANI)

The meeting was attended by senior leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, BJP chief JP Nadda and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

According to people aware of the details, the meeting comes in the wake of opposition parties pressing for a caste census and revisiting the reservation formula to ensure adequate representation of various castes based on their numbers.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been pushing for ‘Jitni Abadai, Utna Haq’ (representation as per numbers). Other political parties that are part of theIndian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance such as the RJD, SP and JD(U) too have been demanding a caste-based enumeration.

After the Bihar government announced the findings of the state’s caste survey, the issue has been raised in other states as well, particularly in poll-bound Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

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OBC support is critical for BJP’s performance in the upcoming elections as well as next year’s Lok Sabha polls. The party is, therefore, leaving no stone unturned to woo the vote bank.

According to one of the persons cited above, the central leadership has underlined the need to sharpen the party’s outreach towards OBCs in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka, where the election outcome can be impacted by their support.

“The OBC Morcha has been asked to ensure the implementation and monitoring of all schemes for the communities. Also, to ensure the Opposition’s narrative does not weaken the BJP’s hold over the OBCs,” said a BJP leader, not wishing to be quoted.

A second functionary, who also did not wish to be named, said a committee has been formed to oversee the outreach efforts.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh, said the Congress has been abusive towards him because he is from the OBC community.

The Opposition, on its part, claims the BJP has been overlooking the concerns of the community. Last week, while addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh, Gandhi said, “PM Modi does not work for OBCs, Dalits and Adivasis...When we form the government in Delhi, we will release the data of the caste census. The moment we form the government in Chhattisgarh, we will conduct a caste census…”

The BJP leader quoted above said the meeting that took place in the party headquarters was also attended by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, general Secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, state unit president of Bihar, Samrat Chaudhary, and UP, Bhupender Chaudhary, and OBC Morcha head K Laxman among others.