The Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh will now focus on most backward castes (MBC) to improve its tally in the coming Assembly elections in the state.
The party is planning to hold a conference of most backward castes in Lucknow on September 23 and will invite all backward caste leaders to address the gathering.
“This is an important segment of society which has been neglected by various political parties for long. We want to bring them into the party fold, understand their problems and address them,’ said UP BJP president Surya Pratap Shahi.
It may be recalled that in 2001, the then UP chief minister Rajnath Singh had announced reservation within reservation for Most Backward Castes but the same was stalled by a court case. The backwards form a strong 54 per cent of the total populace in UP. The OBC comprises a small 15 per cent while MBCs are a huge 37 per cent.
“We do not wish to play politics on this issue but we sincerely wanted the MBCs to benefit from the reservation policy. Some OBC leaders, however, opposed this,” recalls Mr Devendra Singh, former BJP minister.
According to party managers, the MBC vote in UP in neither aligned with the Samajwadi Party which is dominated by OBC, particularly Yadavs, and nor does it find a place for itself in the BSP which is dominated by dalits.
The MBC vote bank, therefore, is yet to carve a definite political identity for itself in UP.
The BJP is now keen to top this segment and sources say that the leadership has agreed to give greater representation to MBCs in ticket distribution.
“We have realised that unless we reach out to neglected segments of society and being them into the party fold, we cannot regain lost ground in UP. We are preparing to give greater participation, in the party and during elections, to MBCs and we are confident of getting their support,” said a senior party leader.
The party will hold meetings with MBCs at the divisional levels till September 15 and then prepare for a big show in Lucknow on September 23.