As the SP and the BJP gear up for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, they want to ensure that they get the major chunk of the OBC vote
In preparation for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, both the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh are intensifying their efforts to gain the support of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Recognizing the significant influence of OBC voters, both parties are formulating strategies to secure their backing and consolidate their respective support bases.
The OBC category, which originated from the Mandal Commission report, consists of diverse castes and does not form a cohesive "political community." The OBCs can be classified into three groups based on caste and class criteria such as social status, income, and education. The first group includes a relatively small number of economically prosperous OBCs who enjoy higher social standing and hold political significance. They are known as the "forward" or upper Backward Classes. The second group belongs to the middle category, primarily composed of landowners who hold influence in rural areas. They are gradually improving their socio-economic and educational status while being upwardly mobile. And the third group is referred to as the "Most Backward Classes" (MBCs) or "Extremely Backward Classes," representing those who are the most disadvantaged in terms of social status, income, and educational opportunities.
The OBCs make up a substantial 40 per cent to 45 per cent of the state's electorate, making them a crucial target for both the SP and the BJP. The importance of this political caste can be gauged from the fact that Urban Body Elections were deferred and were held only after the Yogi government followed reservation as per the directives of the UP State Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission.
As per the UP State Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission's report, in 17 Nagar Nigams, OBCs account for 25.58 per cent, while in 200 nagar pikas (municipal councils) and 545 nagar panchayats (town councils), their ratio is on the higher side as the community members constituted 42.29 per cent and 49.55 per cent, respectively. The document says that the population of OBCs is lower in bigger cities but higher in smaller towns.
These figures speak volumes about the OBC's power in UP’s political spectrum. The SP, to mobilize OBC support, has been organizing cadre training camps and undertaking Yatras aimed at rallying support for a caste-based census. Their goal is to unite all OBC groups under the party's umbrella, thus forming a formidable voting bloc. On the other hand, the BJP is taking a different approach by planning conferences and rallies that focus on establishing separate identities for each caste group. This strategy aims to prevent the consolidation of OBCs under a common backward class grouping, as desired by the SP. In a recent rally held in Ghazipur district on June 10, the BJP sought to appropriate Maharaja Suheldev, a legendary king from Shravasti, as an OBC icon. This event was part of the BJP's broader strategy to consolidate its non-Yadav OBC vote bank.
Ghazipur was a strategic choice for the BJP's outreach to the Rajbhar community, considering that the party faced electoral challenges in the district during both the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2022 Assembly polls. The Samajwadi Party is countering the BJP's efforts by planning conferences and conducting cadre training camps as part of the Lok Jagran Abhiyan. Their central demand is for a caste-based census in Uttar Pradesh, which serves as a rallying point to mobilize all OBCs under the SP's banner.
The equation at that time was simple. Mulayam Singh Yadav's 'secular' politics went beyond the protection of minorities and a strong stand against communalism. He genuinely considered Muslims as stakeholders in his politics. The Samajwadi Party's rise saw a significant increase in Muslim representation in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. With Yadavs supporting him, he was able to stitch the MY (Muslim-Yadav) social alliance. Besides championing the cause of the Other Backward Classes and the underprivileged class, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s politics went beyond lip service to secularism and involved forging a social coalition between OBCs and Muslims at the grassroots level, fighting the inherent contradictions.This secular political moAs the SP devises its strategies to consolidate its base, it recognizes the need to address the concerns and aspirations of the OBCs while countering the BJP's appeal. Reclaiming the OBC vote bank will be a formidable task for the SP, given the BJP's sustained focus on this segment of the electorate. The ensuing battle for OBC support will shape the political landscape leading up to the 2024 elections in UP . Both parties are aware of the significant influence OBC voters hold, and their efforts to secure their support are poised to have a lasting impact on the electoral outcome.
(Writer is Political Editor, The Pioneer. Views expressed are personal)