Hit by exit of OBC, Dalit leaders, BJP plans outreach campaign

100 OBC and SC leaders to visit every seat, try to wean away BSP, SP workers

• Written by Lalmani Verma
• January 13, 2022 04:00 IST

According to BJP sources, the party has decided to launch a “samajik sampark” campaign at booth level under which at least 100 OBC and SC leaders will tour each of the 403 Assembly seats in the state.

With the exit of prominent OBC leaders, including Swami Prasad Maurya and Dara Singh Chauhan, a seemingly wary BJP, in a damage control exercise, has decided to depute OBC and Scheduled Caste (SC) leaders in each Assembly constituency to reach out to the communities.

According to BJP sources, the party has decided to launch a “samajik sampark” campaign at booth level under which at least 100 OBC and SC leaders — from local booth unit presidents to municipal corporators, panchayat leaders and district office-bearers —will tour each of the 403 Assembly seats in the state.

“Exit of Maurya and Chauhan is not going to cause any major dent to our party. But these developments have certainly stirred the political atmosphere and their statements are sending a message to their community that BJP is against them. To neutralise it, groups of OBC and SC leaders and workers have been formed in the districts for ‘samajik sampark’ in every constituency. They will meet people of their respective castes to inform them about the programmes launched by our government which have benefited backwards and Dalits,” said a BJP leader.

Last October, the party had organised 27 samajik pratinidhi sammelans of OBCs and Dalits with the aim of connecting with non-Yadav OBC and Dalit voters. “BSP and SP workers from OBC and SC communities hold influence and each is able to mobilise 15-20 voters. Our party will approach them and make efforts to get them on the side of the BJP before the polling. Since polls are close, we will run a very aggressive campaign,” said a BJP leader.

Meanwhile, BJP OBC Morcha state unit chief Narendra Kashyap said the launch of the campaign was not related to the “current developments”. “It was proposed to start from January 4. This is a mega campaign for dialogue with every community in society. It will formally start on January 14,” he said.