3 votebanks,countless issues

The Matang Front of the RPI has asked Kalmadi to clarify his stand on recommendations of Lahuji Vastad Salve Commission before seeking their support in campaign. The commission was set up to look into the situation of the community in the state.

The Matang Front held a meeting on Friday,in which the workers expressed resentment for not getting due respect from the Congress leaders during campaign. Hanumant Sathe,state president of the RPI Matang Front who presided over the meeting,said the discontent was justified,as the demands of the community were not taken into consideration while drafting the manifesto.

Sathe said the Congress candidates had used the Matang votes for their own convenience. “Even as we are in the alliance,it is our right to ask whether our candidate will listen to our demands or not. We are committed to help the alliance candidate as a policy,but that doesn’t mean we should go with them blindly,” he said.

“The implementation of the recommendations of Lahuji Vastad Salve Commission is pending for a long time. Independent reservation for the community,independent industrial area to run traditional businesses and government sponsorship for education are some of the important recommendations. In the past five years,the government has done nothing,” Sathe said.

Incidentally,the issue was raised at a rally of Matang community,organised by Congress MLA Ramesh Bagave,in the city in January. All the top leaders of the Congress had then promised to implement the recommendations.

When contacted,Satish Desai,campaign chief of Kalmadi,said the party had been in contact with the Matang Front workers. “We are trying to resolve the issue. We will be able to sort it out,” he said.

The Bahujan Samaj Party,meanwhile,is looking to attract these votes through the Matang bhaichara committees. “The community is disillusioned with the Congress,which keeps promising various things to them. But now,the community is well aware of the situation,” said Kiran Alhat,state general secretary of the BSP.

Alhat said,“We have been appealing to the committee not to demand any thing,but come to power and fulfil your wishes as it happened in Uttar Pradesh. We have been getting good response and this time there will be a division of Matang votes.”

Sathe,however,begs to differ. “The BSP will not have any influence on the Matang community. They know that social engineering is a false idea.”