Congress Promises in Manifesto give Reservation to The Other Backward Classes

A survey by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2006 put the OBC population in the country at 40.94 per cent in 2004-05.

The Congress is contemplating promising reservation to the Other Backward Classes proportionate to their population in its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The party has received the suggestion from a number of experts and think-tanks, a senior Congress leader said, adding that its manifesto committee is now examining it.

There is a belief in the Congress that the Modi government's 10 percent quota for 'poor' upper castes has angered OBCs and the party is debating the idea as a way of cashing in on the discontent.

"Now that the BJP has altered that 50 percent quota cap by its 10 per cent reservation for the upper caste poor, why can't all OBCs be given reservation is what is being asked by a number of experts," said the senior Congress leader requesting anonymity. "We have received their suggestions and are examining them."

The Congress, however, will have trouble determining the OBC numbers.

The Mandal commission, which had relied on the 1932 caste census, had pegged the OBC numbers at 52 percent of the total population. It was based on this that the OBCs have been provided reservation of 27 %

A survey by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2006 put the OBC population in the country at 40.94 percent in 2004-05.

Calcutta Election

In Kolkata rally, all opposition parties had talked about the removal of the Modi government, in Uttar Pradesh, 80, Maharashtra 48, West Bengal 42 and Bihar 40 seats. In the last elections, the BJP won 71 seats in Uttar Pradesh and 22 seats in Bihar.

Recently in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, the Congress party is keen to shape the BJP and this is the reason why it wants seats equal to the RJD. In Uttar Pradesh, SP-BSP decided to contest the 38-38 seats and left just two seats for the Congress. RJD does not even consider the demand for more seats of Congress.

According to experts, meeting with Taskhwa, SP President Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati was an undisputed alliance and it was an attempt to tell that the Congress should give up hope of more seats in Bihar.

Congress