The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing an outreach initiative for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in response to the opposition’s demand for a caste census, ahead of the national election, sources have revealed. Top BJP leaders, including President JP Nadda, National General Secretary BL Santosh, and union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, met in Delhi last week to discuss the details of the initiative. The meeting was attended by 40 leaders from 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The opposition’s call for a caste census has become one of the major issues in the upcoming election, and the BJP, which has previously been hesitant to take a stance, is now under pressure to provide an answer. The pressure has increased as several of its allies, including the Apna Dal (Sonelal), Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, NISHAD party, and Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular, have supported the demand.
The demand for a caste census gained momentum after Bihar conducted its own survey in August, which revealed that OBCs make up over 27 percent of the state’s population and more than 33 percent of them live in extreme poverty. OBCs and Extremely Backward Classes together account for over 60 percent of Bihar’s population.
The report not only highlighted the dire situation of these groups, which make up at least 40 percent of India’s population according to a 2007 survey by the NSSO, but also emphasized their electoral significance.
In Telangana, OBCs account for over 57 percent of households in rural areas, while in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, the numbers are 51.4 percent, 46.8 percent, and 42.4 percent, respectively.
Sources revealed that the recent meeting in Delhi, along with the Bihar report, has prompted the BJP to take action on the caste census issue. Amit Shah, after the meeting, traveled to Chhattisgarh’s Raipur where he stated that the BJP has never opposed the exercise and only wants proper evaluation before conducting it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the issue, accusing the opposition of trying to divide the country based on caste. The BJP leaders are trying to counter the opposition’s attacks by highlighting their own data, which shows that a significant number of BJP MPs, MLAs, and union ministers are from OBC groups, and the party’s vote share from these groups has increased over the years.
On the other hand, the Congress party, which is strongly advocating for a caste census, has declared that it will conduct surveys in all states it wins this year and a national count if it forms the government at the center. Rahul Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, has emphasized the need for OBC representation in the government and top positions proportionate to their population share.
Bihar has taken swift action after the release of its caste census report, with the Nitish Kumar government passing a proposal to increase reservation to 65 percent, exceeding the Supreme Court’s 50 percent cap. The proposal is now awaiting the Bihar Governor’s approval.
With the national election approaching, the caste census issue has become a crucial matter for the BJP. Both the ruling party and the opposition are trying to gain the support of OBCs and address their concerns.
