In a bid to garner vote bank before the Assembly elections, there is a move to include about half a dozen backward communities in OBC category, for reservation in Government jobs and admission in educational institutions.
Rajasthan State Other Backward Class Commission, headed Justice IS Israni, had recently recommended to State Government to include Moila, Kagazi, Bishati, Kamboj and Arai on the list. These communities are socially and educationally backward, he had said in his recommendation. According to official sources, a notification is likely soon.
Though the total population of these five communities in the State is negligible, the Congress is keen to send strong signals.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot being from the Mali community, is listed in OBC and is a strong supporter of more inclusions, which enjoy 21 per cent reservation in Government jobs and educational institutions.
Politically, Gehlot is of the firm view that the Congress should reduce dependence on Jats, who constitute nearly 16 per cent of the total population. Jats of the State were included in OBC when there was an NDA Government at the Centre and Gehlot headed the State.
Jats are considered traditional Congress voters. However, in the 2003 Assembly elections, they supported BJP as it was felt that Gehlot was systematically marginalising them in the party. In 2008, they largely returned to the Congress fold.
According to political observers, though, they are not very happy with Congress in general and Gehlot in particular, at present. They
feel senior Jat leader Mahipal Maderna, a former Minister, was implicated in Bhanwari Devi case at Gehlot’s behest.