Reservation has become the flavour of the season, with three major parties — the Samajwadi Party, BSP and the Congress — trying to keep minorities in good humour in the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls next month.
It the SP led by Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav is reported to be in favour of 18 per cent reservation for Muslims outside the OBC quota, the Congress will be promising nine per cent reservation for Muslims in its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh. But it is unclear whether this could be a “quota within quota” or separate from the OBC quota. But it would be for backward caste Muslims.
The BSP has been in favour of the reservation policy for minorities and pressing for it time and again. UP chief minister Mayawati had drawn the Prime Minister’s attention to this issue a few month ago by writing a letter, a BSP MP said, adding that his party is willing to cooperate with the Centre to amend the Constitution for the purpose.
He said minorities should be given reservation on the basis of their population. “That is the reason why we are not pressing for either 18 per cent or nine per cent,” he said.
The BJP is perhaps the only party opposing quota for Muslims on the basis of religion.
Sources said the reservation for minorities, the Batla House encounter and covering of statues of Ms Mayawati and elephants, the BSP’s election symbol, could lead to sharp polarisation of voters in the state.
The key players in this battle are assessing who will get mileage of the anti-incumbency in the state, besides non-Yadav OBCs and floating voters.
The Congress is pegging its hopes on youths and OBCs with a calculation that they would respond positively to the development agenda of the party.
The BJP is relying on non-Yadav OBCs and upper castes hoping that the minority card of the SP, BSP and the Congress would consolidate Hindus in its favour.
The BSP is confident that covering of statues has already consolidated dalits. Ms Mayawati’s handling of anti-social elements and fielding a large number of non-dalits would help the party in the election.