New Delhi: The results of the Karnataka assembly elections have proved to be a big blow for the BJP. BJP’s performance has been poor especially on the seats reserved for ST-SC. Before the elections, the state government had announced to increase reservation for both the communities on these seats. The party was confident that it would benefit in the elections, but it did not happen. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP won the maximum number of SC-ST seats in Karnataka in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The party won 67 seats in 131 constituencies in the 2014 elections and 77 in 2019. Both the social groups have been an important part of the beneficiary (central welfare) schemes of the BJP.
SC-ST reach will be increased further – BJP
Now the party has changed its strategy regarding the upcoming assembly elections. BJP leaders said that the SC-ST reach of the party will be increased further. Because there is a sizeable number of these SC-ST voters in the electoral states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In Karnataka, the BJP managed to win only 8 out of 36 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. The party could not win even a single seat out of the seats reserved for tribal communities. At the same time, Congress managed to win 12 out of 21 SC seats and 8 out of 14 ST seats in the 2018 assembly elections. BJP’s tallest leaders from SC-ST communities like Sriramulu and Govind Karjol also lost their seats.
BJP could not reach ST voters
According to BJP insiders, the party failed to convince SC voters about its decision to increase reservation for SCs. Due to this, voters from Banjara, Bhovi and Scheduled Caste (Right) communities voted against BJP. Just before the elections, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government proposed to split the internal reservation in the 17 per cent SC quota into 6 per cent for most backward SCs (left), 5.5 per cent for least backward SCs, 4.5 per cent for scheduled castes had decided.
People will be made aware in ST reserved constituencies- Sameer Oraon
BJP ST Morcha chief Sameer Oraon told NDTV that the party would ensure a proper review of the Karnataka election results. He said- “From May 20 to June 20, we will celebrate the welfare schemes of the Modi government. People will be made aware about it, especially in all ST reserved constituencies. We will tell people how PM Modi’s schemes are beneficial for them. have proved to be beneficial. We will prepare a detailed outline for it. All the Morcha chiefs will sit together and prepare a plan.”
Party and government understand the importance of SC-ST communities- BJP
He said, “The party and the government understand the importance of the SC-ST communities. In Madhya Pradesh, both the Congress and the BJP are trying to mobilize them. We have learned lessons from the 2018 election results, then the party should increase the number of SC-ST seats.” But there was a defeat. That’s why we have been working very carefully with these groups for the last five years. It is also important to remember that the BJP’s ideological penetration is among these people.”
