Maharashtra: BJP to go door-to-door to mend fences with Dalits, tribals

The party would showcase BJP’s commitment to reservation for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. (Express photo by Prashant Nadkar/Representational)

The BJP will launch a door-to-door campaign across 40,913 villages to push its flagship reforms with emphasis on social engineering from April 14 to May 5. The elected members of the state legislature and MPs will reach out to Dalits and tribals to counter the anti-BJP sentiments post the Bhima Koregaon violence and the Supreme Court verdict on the Atrocities Act.

The party would showcase BJP’s commitment to reservation for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. Secondly, the party will assure that the government would not scrap the Atrocities Act. Apart from these, the BJP would talk about major reforms and policies of the Centre and the state for social and economic uplift of Dalits and tribals in Maharashtra.

Although Parliament and Assembly elections are still away in 2019, BJP political managers in the state have expressed concern over the Congress and NCP painting them “anti-Dalit and anti-tribal”. The BJP’s damage control exercise is to ensure its hold among the SC/STs which had given the party an edge in the 2014 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Of the total 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, 29 seats are reserved for SCs and 25 for STs.
The 2014 results show that in the Scheduled Caste category for 29 seats, BJP won 16, Shiv Sena 8, Congress 2 and NCP 3. Out of 25 Scheduled Tribe seats BJP won 11 seats, Congress 5, NCP 4, Shiv Sena 3, CPI(M) 1 and Bharatiya Vikas Agadhi 1.

In the Lok Sabha elections 2014, of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, five were reserved for Scheduled Caste of which BJP won 2, and Shiv Sena 3. The Congress and NCP failed to win a single seat. In Lok Sabha polls, four seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribe and the BJP had won all the four. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis maintained, “The government in Maharashtra has always been guided by the Constitution of Dr B R Ambedkar. The reservation to the SC/STs would continue as it is their constitutional right.”

The Maharashtra BJP, during its campaign, would address the aspirations of the new age Dalits and tribals by unveiling economic and social schemes which would make a difference in their lives. The Rs 26,000 crore allocation for development schemes for SC/STs will be highlighted.

Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DICCI) chairman Milnd Kamble said, “The government has set a target to cover 1.75 lakh Dalit/tribal entrepreneurship for which generous loans are being offered at zero interest. This is a time to take maximum advantage and move ahead.” Destructive politics is not going to help in growth, he warned.

The Dalits and tribals expressing anger on the streets is perceived by Bharaip Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar as a realignment of new forces. Ambedkar believes that “The Dalits and tribals will drift away from BJP in the next elections. But Congress-NCP will not be a credible alternative to benefit.”

Congress state unit led by Ashok Chavan believes Dalits and tribals ideologically have always connected better with the Congress. The BJP’s confidence in regaining its hold on Dalits and tribals hinges on the alliances with RPI (A), and Rashtriya Samaj Party. RPI(A) led by Ramdas Athavale remains the biggest Dalit party in the state. The Bahujan Samaj Party based in Uttar Pradesh has not succeeded in making deep inroads in Maharashtra or denting the RPI(A). Athavale said, “The Dalits know who serve their cause. We will not allow any dilution of Atrocities Act. We have appealed in the SC. We have the support of the state and Centre,” he added.