Lucknow: Ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been strengthening its voter base among the state's OBC (Other Backward Classes) population. The move gains significance at a time when several of BJP's OBC ministers, including the likes of Swami Prasad Maurya, have left the BJP-fold and joined the Samajwadi Party under Akhilesh Yadav.
This appears to have impacted the candidature structure for the ruling party, who till date has provided candidature to 30 OBC leaders. Speaking to ETV Bharat, however, BJP's OBC Morcha President K. Laxman disagrees with any caste-based angle, asserting that the party always puts forward development and social welfare as its primary objectives.
“The schemes started by the Modi government at the Centre for the backward classes during the last seven years are unforeseen. This government provided constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. Our question, therefore, to the regional parties is why those claiming to represent the backward classes have not yet implemented them till date? Why did the Manmohan Singh government, which was in power for 10 years, not give constitutional status to the commission? Today 47 people from OBC community are in the cabinet and this marks the first time to happen so since independence,” Laxman said.
He further highlighted the benefit reservations were providing to students, noting that the current dispensation had given 47% reservation in NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) examinations, which helped “around four lakh students in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Schools and Sainik Schools”.
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Significantly, the OBC leader also alleged that SP Maurya left BJP as the party would not provide candidature to his son. “Swami Prasad Maurya was asking for ticket for his son and this is not possible in BJP, as it is not a party indulging in dynasty politics,” he noted.
Laxman further added that he felt 90% of the OBC population in Uttar Pradesh would vote for the BJP. “For the first time, the Prime Minister of the country is OBC. He has inducted 47 OBC leaders into his cabinet. Out of 107 candidates, about 44 people from the OBC community were given candidatures. This will affect election results,” he stated.
The OBC vote bank in Uttar Pradesh ranges between 42% and 45%, among which 9% accounts for the Yadav community. Rest of the communities in the equation are Kushwaha, Rajbhar, Nishad, Jat, Lodh, Maurya, Kumi etc.
The Uttar Pradesh assembly polls are set to kick off on February 10 and will go on till March 10. The elections will be held across seven phases in the total of 75 districts of the state.
