Cong,BJP try hard to woo OBCs in Kangra

The outcome of the 2004 Parliamentary polls spoke of the OBC’s hold here. At that time,former chief minister Shanta Kumar had lost to Chander Kumar of the Congress,an OBC. Although the OBCs have traditionally supported BJP,they sided with Chander Kumar in 2004.

Both the Chief Minister and Shanta Kumar are now campaigning for party candidate Rajan Sushant with special focus on the OBC-dominated areas. On Wednesday and Thursday,they held a series of meetings in the OBC-dominated areas in Kangra district. Four ministers of the Dhumal Cabinet are also camping here to woo voters.

The Chief Minister is repeatedly reminding them that there are two OBC ministers from Kangra district in his Cabinet,whereas there was none in Virbhadra Singh ministry during Congress regime.

The two ministers,Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ramesh Dhwala and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sarveen Chaudhary,are sweating day and night to gather the support of the OBCs for Rajan Sushant. To strengthen the position of the party,Sanjay Chaudhary,who had won on a BSP ticket,has been admitted to BJP.

Despite the hectic campaign by both parties,OBCs are maintaining a steady silence,and seem to be weighing the pros and cons.

“Both the parties give us lollypops when the elections come,and forget their promises later. This time we to have yet to decide which way we will cast our vote. We have to think about our benefit of getting 27 per cent reservation and our share in governance,’’ said Vikram Chaudhary,state spokesperson of the HP OBC Youth Sangthan and son of former Speaker late Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar.

The OBCs’ population is about 31 per cent in the district. Of the 15 Assembly segments in the district,OBCs dominate in seven segments – Kangra,Nagrota Bagwan,Jwalamukhi,Shahpur,Jwali,Fatehpur and Dharamshala. Palampur and Sulah Assembly segments also have a sizeable population of OBCs.