LS polls: In a first,BJP to form ‘backward morcha’ in state

The BJP has only a backward cell that has limited posts of office-bearers,including state convenor with four co-convenors,eight regional convenors and one convenor in every district. “There are a large number of backward castes in UP and representation of each of them was not possible in the backward cell,” said a senior leader.

The backward morcha will have more posts to accommodate backward castes. The morcha will have a state president,three vice-presidents,three secretaries with a executive committee of 21 members at state level. Morcha will have similar structure in eight regional units and 90 district units.

State party president Laxmikant Bajpai said: “Party’s national president has given approval for forming the backward morcha. It will be formed within the next few days.”

He said the morcha will have more space to give representation to all backward castes and its office-bearers will have more rights.

Sources said the BJP has started giving prominence to backward castes in the organisation after a poor show in the 2012 Assembly elections. For the first time in the party’s history,at least 18 district presidents were elected from backward classes. In the last team,which was dissolved after the Assembly elections,only three of the 90 district presidents were OBCs.

The party has senior OBC leaders like Vinay Katiyar,Uma Bharti and Om Prakash Singh but they could not connect with the OBCs at the grassroots.