The Jat factor may spell trouble for Cong in western UP
M Hasan, Hindustan Times
Lucknow, December 28, 2011
By not accepting the demand of RLD, its ally, for OBC reservation for
the Jats at central level, the Congress is in danger of playing into
the hands of BSP before assembly elections. The RLD was expecting
the Congress to accede to this demand in view of the Centre's
announcement of 4.5% reservation for the Muslims.
UP chief minister Mayawati, who is also president of the BSP, had
written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September 2011, supporting
the demand for Jat reservation.
Now there is apprehension in the RLD that this can lead to trouble for
the new alliance in western UP. The well-entrenched Jat community,
with a population of approximately 3 million, has been agitating in UP
for the last two years for reservation in central government jobs.
"(Their) non-inclusion could be damaging in western UP," a senior RLD
leader said.
However, after the meeting of civil aviation minister Ajit Singh, also
RLD president, with Union home minister P Chidambaram last week, party
leaders are hopeful the issue would be resolved after elections. "Had
it been done now, it would have largely helped the party," the RLD
leader said.
While the RLD has over the years thrived on the Jat-Muslim support
base in western UP, the BSP has been making efforts to make a dent in
its ground and bring the community closer to the Jatavs, who are
Dalits.
Even though the RLD and Congress are expecting electoral gains after
their alliance, reports from western UP indicate there is simmering
discontent in the Jat community on account of this.
In 2000, the state government, then run by the BJP, had included the
Jats in the list of backward communities and later the central
government did so for the community just in Rajasthan. In view of
educational and social similarities of the community in both the
states, the Jats of UP have been demanding inclusion in the central
quota list.
The Jats had resorted to a train blockade between Lucknow and Delhi
near Amroha in March 2011.
In order to win over the community, the chief minister formed three
districts – Prabudha Nagar, Panchsheel Nagar and Bhim Nagar – in
western UP in September 2011.
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