BJP is primarily targeting OBC voters in the Maharashtra assembly elections. The party is making efforts to attract OBC voters and the Mahayuti government has also announced several initiatives for this community. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a member of the Mahayuti government, doubts that a significant number of OBC voters will support the Mahayuti in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Is it possible that Ajit Pawar’s statement could harm the Mahayuti in the upcoming assembly elections?
Ajit Pawar mentioned that even though the Mahayuti alliance was behind the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Lok Sabha elections, the scenario has now shifted. He mentioned that during the elections, the MVA had promoted the idea of amending the Constitution and establishing a Hindu nation, which the OBC community in Maharashtra had supported.
Additionally, because of the opposition towards the Citizenship Amendment Act, individuals feared they would be expelled from the nation. The opposition assured the public that if the NDA achieved 400 seats, it would act in the same manner. However, the election results have debunked these claims, rendering them meaningless now.
Ajit Pawar mentioned that typically in Maharashtra, voting based on caste is overlooked. Pawar mentioned that previously, BJP had influential OBC leaders such as Gopinath Munde, NS Farande, and Anna Dange, which brought the Vanjari community together, but he believes that this unity is not as strong nowadays.
Ajit Pawar reiterated that BJP’s slogans such as vote jihad and threats of being cut if divided may be effective in North India but should not be uttered in Maharashtra. Pawar stated that the Prime Minister’s slogan ‘Ek Hai Toh Safe Hai’ indicates his call for everyone to remain unified.
Following the disappointing Lok Sabha election outcome, the central leadership of BJP is making maximum efforts to establish a Mahayuti government in Maharashtra once more. In Maharashtra, all the major leaders and ministers of the party and government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and National President JP Nadda, are actively participating in the election campaign.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has attempted to regain power in the elections by implementing various schemes such as Ladki Behen Yojana. OBC is a sizeable population in Maharashtra, surpassing the population of the Maratha community.
BJP has pinpointed 175 seats in the Maharashtra assembly elections where OBC voters can have a significant impact, while the Maratha community holds the most influence in Marathwada and West Maharashtra where a total of 116 assembly seats are located. BJP has implemented numerous initiatives to connect with the OBC community in recent months, focusing on micro-level OBC management.
The BJP is making efforts to keep OBC voters on their side as the Lok Sabha election results revealed that the Maratha community is leaning more towards the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
The Mahayuti government made a significant move to attract the OBC community ahead of the assembly elections by adding seven new OBC castes to the Central OBC list and raising the annual creamy layer limit from 8 lakh to 12 lakh. These decisions are expected to garner support from OBC voters for Mahayuti. In Maharashtra, there are 341 different castes and sub-castes classified as OBCs, with Mali, Dhangar, and Vanjari being the prominent communities. In 1980, the party had provided the Madhav formula to satisfy them.
The outcome of the Haryana assembly polls showed that the BJP emerged victorious with the backing of OBC voters. The BJP had announced Nayab Singh Saini, a member of the OBC community, as their candidate for chief minister, and despite facing a tough election, the party emerged victorious. BJP’s focus is on Vidarbha and North Maharashtra.
There is a limited number of OBCs in Marathwada regions. The emphasis is on social groups based on caste. The OBC communities being targeted by BJP in Maharashtra consist of Teli, Banjara, Pawar, Bhoyar, Komati, Sonar, Gond, and around twenty-four other castes.
The President of OBC Manch, Prakash Shendge, mentioned to The Indian Express that the issue has brought OBCs together in a fight for political interests. Voting for all 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra will take place in a one single phase on November 20th. The election campaign is set to conclude on November 18, leaving only a few days for campaigning.