Why caste-related protests may upset BJP’s social engineering plans in winnable states
Protests, especially by the Rajput community in the northern states where the BJP has a strong hold, and the Marathas in Maharashtra are likely to dent the party’s vote base in the upcoming polls
Even as the BJP eyes a third consecutive term at the Centre, a latest slew of protests by major caste groups, particularly the Rajputs and the Marathas, threatens to disrupt the social engineering formula of the saffron party which helped it retain power in the last two Lok Sabha polls.
The impact of the caste-based protests can be witnessed in most of the north Indian states where the BJP performed well in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Among the states that are witnessing caste-related protests are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Why these six states are crucial for BJP
The six states play a crucial role in determining the BJP’s return to power at the Centre. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the party with the help of its alliance partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), managed to win 193 of the total 218 Lok Sabha seats in the six states with a strike rate of over 87 per cent. This time, the saffron party is in direct contest with the Congress in at least four of the states while its candidates will fight INDIA bloc nominees in the remaining two seats.
Rajputs rue ‘lack of representation’
At the forefront of caste protests are Rajputs, who are rallying forces against the ‘unfair’ distribution of tickets to members from the community in Uttar Pradesh by the BJP’s leadership. Alleging lack of representation for the Rajputs in the ticket distribution in the state, members of the community have publicly said that they are not bound to support the ruling party and its alliance members if the demands of the community are not respected.
“The Rajput or Kshatriya community has always helped the BJP and voted for the party, but we have realised that as the BJP leadership gains power, it has started to sideline us and our representation has been reduced within the party. The fight is for our rights, we are not against caste, but we want respect and representation, which is being denied to us,” Raghvendra Singh, general secretary of Kshatriya Mahasabha, told The Federal.
Rajputs rally forces against BJP
The problem for the BJP started first in western Uttar Pradesh after its central leadership allotted a single Lok Sabha ticket to the Rajput community. In protest, Rajputs in the state have organised a maha-panchayat to mobilise members of the community across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.
“We have organised at least two dozen public meetings in the last few weeks, and this process is going to continue in future as well. We have supported the BJP but we are ready to look at other parties who give us greater representation. Out of the total 543 seats in Lok Sabha, Rajputs have a presence in at least 104 seats. Our numbers vary from one lakh to six lakhs in different Lok Sabha constituencies. In Uttar Pradesh alone, Rajputs play a key role in at least 33 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats,” Singh said.
‘Tickets should be given as per caste numerical strength,’ say Rajputs
Questioning the ticket distribution process of the BJP, Singh said a narrative was being built in the country against the community and its lack of representation in the Lok Sabha polls is a big part of it.
Singh said the BJP leadership gave tickets to Rajput leaders only in seats where the community members could not win.
“The Rajput community has not got enough seats in Madhya Pradesh too. A majority of the seats have gone to people from other castes. We are not against the BJP’s social engineering formula, but it should be done on the basis of the numerical strength of the caste,” said Singh.
Taking note of the ongoing protests in Uttar Pradesh, senior leaders of the BJP have asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath to intervene and ensure that there is no anger against the party in the community.
‘Not BJP, but Rajput candidates will be our priority’
The central government’s alleged apathy towards grievances of farmers protesting in Punjab, Haryana, parts of Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh, has also left the community disgruntled.
“There are several issues that have angered the community in the last few months. Lack of representation in ticket distribution is just one of them. The farmers within the community are also annoyed because the government is not listening to the demands of those protesting at the outskirts of Delhi,” Mahaveer Singh Sarvadi of Pratap Foundation in Jaipur, told The Federal.
Sarvadi said that at a recent meeting of sub-caste groups within the Rajput community, it was decided that members of the community will vote for Rajput candidates and not limit themselves to the BJP. “We have always voted for the BJP in Rajasthan, but now we have decided that people are free to vote for any political party that gives them proper representation and listens to their problems patiently,” Sarvadi added.
Rupala row upsets BJP’s prospects
“Look what is happening in Gujarat or in Rajasthan. People who abuse Rajputs are getting importance by the BJP. Union minister Poroshottam Rupala spoke against the Kshatriya community and he is a star campaigner for the party. It is for this reason that we have asked the community to vote for those who are nice to the community,” said Sarvadi.
The Rajput community in Gujarat and Rajasthan is annoyed with the party for not taking action against union minister for allegedly making statements that hurt the sentiments of the community.
Realising that the situation was taking a serious turn and could impact the support base of the party in the coming elections, senior leaders of the BJP asked CR Patil to speak to the Rajput community in Gujarat and Maharashtra. However, the discussion did not lead to a desired result for the party and the community remains adamant that the BJP should act against Rupala.
“The statements of Union minister Poroshottam Rupala will act as an eye opener for the community. We are not claiming that the protests will create electoral problems for the BJP because the community has just realised that it is not getting respect. Now, with time, this will grow,” said Sarvadi.
Maratha protest puts BJP in a spot
The Manoj Jarange-led protest for Maratha quota, which is gaining momentum in Maharashtra, is all set to upset the BJP’s caste mathematics in a state where it recently engineered the ouster of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to form a coalition government.
Jarange, who is spearheading the demand to include the Maratha community in the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), has told the state and the central government that if the demands are not met by June 5, the community will contest elections on its own. Interestingly, the results of the Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be out on June 4.
In the last two years, the BJP leadership roped in Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to the NDA fold to end its search for a dominant Maratha leader in the state. However, the protests by the Maratha community how threaten to disrupt the calculations of the BJP.
While the Shinde government is under pressure from the OBC community not to include Marathas under the caste group, the Maratha community is adamant on its demands.
“We want reservations and the matter is before the court. Although we will wait for the judgement of the court, we fear the government is not doing enough. There are people in the Maratha community who say that we should not vote for the BJP. But we have maintained that people are free to vote for any party or candidate of their choice,” Suresh Dedorepatil of Akhil Bharatiya Maratha Mahasabha, told The Federal.
