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Congress attempts new caste chemistry in UP, woos Dalits and OBCs
The grand old party is set to launch a slew of programmes, including the ‘Dalit Gaurav Samvad’ on BSP ideologue Kanshi Ram’s death anniversary on October 9 to woo Dalits/ backward classes
LUCKNOW A new caste chemistry appears to be in the offing, both in terms of electoral alliances and voters’ realignments, as the Congress makes fresh efforts to woo the Dalits, backward classes and the most backward classes in Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The grand old party is set to launch a slew of programmes, including the ‘Dalit Gaurav Samvad’ on BSP ideologue Kanshi Ram’s death anniversary on October 9 to woo Dalits/most backward classes. It is already supporting the demand for a caste census while the divisional and district level OBC conventions organised by it in recent weeks are set to change the political equations ahead of polls.
“The Congress is making consistent efforts to woo different sections of society. Programmes like the ‘Dalit Gaurav Samvad’ and OBC conventions are aimed at bringing some sections back to the Congress fold. We will continue to hold more such programmes,” said Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai who is touring different districts to strengthen the Congress ahead of LS polls.
UPCC organisation secretary Anil Yadav said the party proposes to connect with about one lakh Dalit influencers as part of the ‘Dalit Gaurav Samvad’ programmes and he would be holding a video conference with partymen soon to give final shape to these programmes.
The Congress has not been in power in UP since 1989. It has been making efforts to regain its lost ground and entered into alliances to make a mark in different polls. However, the party’s performance has dipped over the years. It entered an electoral alliance with the BSP and the Samajwadi Party, respectively, in 1996 and 2017 UP assembly elections. It won only 33 out of 126 seats contested in alliance with the BSP in 1996. The party got 8.35% of the votes polled and 29.13% of votes on the seats contested.
In 2017, the party contested 114 seats inn alliance with the SP and won only seven assembly seats. It secured 6.25% of the votes polled and 22.09% of votes on the seats contested. It got 6.36% votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Congress’ performance deteriorated further when the party did not have any alliance with major political players in 2022. It won only two seats and secured 2.36% votes in 2022 UP assembly elections.
“The Dalits and other deprived classes have been traditional vote banks of the Congress in the past. It’s good that the Congress is making efforts to win these classes back. If the party continues to work for the downtrodden, it may be successful in winning them back gradually. But in 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party should go for an alliance with the SP or the BSP and it will surely be able to give a good fight to the BJP,” said Professor SK Dwivedi, former head of department, political science, Lucknow University.
