The promise by the Opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh that it would revert back the reservation quota for Dalit, did not give any dividend to the party as most of its Dalit candidates suffered crushing defeats in the Assembly election for results were announced on Sunday.
Except Masturi seat, the Congress candidates were defeated in all the nine constituencies reserved for Scheduled Caste. The Raman Singh Government had reduced the Schedule Caste quota in the State from 16 to 12 per cent and increased the tribal quota from 20 to 32 per cent. The issue is still pending with the Supreme Court.
The Congress had made the Dalit reservation a major issue in the election and had formulated strategy to motivate the electorates in as many as 10 seats reserved for Dalits. The party also organised several rallies and demonstration to take mileage from the issue. The party promised to increase the reservation to 16 per cent in the State but it seems to have not worked.
Although, the dalits played some role in the constituencies like Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg, the Congress failed to take any benefit from it. Except Masturi which went to Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win other seats reserved for dalit such as Mungeli, Saraipali, Sarangarh, Pamgarh, Ahiwara, Nawagarh, Dongargarh, Arang and Bilaigarh.
Interestingly, Congress had won four seats in the last election which are Bilaigarh, Sarangarh, Saraipali, and Arang.The party also did not get any significant benefits in the seats which have sizable dalit population. In many seats its candidates faced problems from within, although the party won seats like Abhanpur and Patan.