Opposition meet may agree on caste census card for 2024

There is no denying the fact that politics in India largely runs on two factors: religion and caste. Parties that master either have an edge in the game. While there is no doubt that when it comes to the Hindutva agenda, the BJP is far ahead in the race, the opposition parties now want to close the gap by playing the caste card.

Sources say that at the joint opposition meeting in Patna on June 23, a big push will be given for the caste census. The Congress particularly will, as it feels that this ace worked for it in the recent Karnataka polls. Removing the 50% reservation cap will be the next step after the demand for a caste census. In Karnataka, the Congress promised 75% reservation. In fact, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year, demanding a caste census, which is yet to be accepted.

In Bihar, the venue of the opposition meeting, the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Janata Dal (United) are on the same page over the caste census demand. In states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the Hindi heartland where the Bharatiya Janata Party is playing the Hindutva card and Ram Mandir is expected to be the big issue for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition hopes to counter it with the topic of social justice and castes. The calculation is that this can swing up to 12% votes in the favour of the opposition.

Down south too, opposition parties are keen. The DMK also conducted a social justice meeting and demanded a caste census and reservation based on caste percentage.

This is in sync with Rahul Gandhi‘s idea where he thinks insisting on a caste census and the BJP not committing to it can be used by the opposition to paint the ruling party as anti-Dalit and anti-OBC.

This card was played, for instance, when President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building. Kharge, a Dalit himself, called the BJP and the PM anti-Dalit.

Clearly, the focus at the opposition meeting will be on social justice, which will be its plank for the 2024 battle.