Mumbai: Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde`s
statement that he was willing to work under the leadership of
NCP`s Chhagan Bhujbal for the rights of OBCs has created a
buzz in state political circles.
Munde`s announcement at a function here yesterday that he
was willing to work under Bhujbal`s leadership in a national
movement of OBCs is also seen as the BJP leader`s acceptance
that Bhujbal was the leader of OBCs in the state.
Sharing the dais, both Munde and Bhujbal were vocal,
demanding that other backward classes count be included during
the ongoing census exercise.
"OBC count should be included in the census. It was not
being done because some people fear OBCs will come together
once they know their true strength," Munde said.
There are 340 castes among the OBCs, who constitute
nearly 54 per cent of the country`s population. There is a
need for the OBC census, Bhujbal said.
Demanding reservation for OBCs in Lok Sabha, the Deputy
Chief Minister said that leaders from the Scheduled Castes and
the Scheduled Tribes are articulate about the issues of their
communities as they get elected from reserved seats.
"Same is not the case with OBC leaders, who contest from
unreserved seats and can`t be vocal for fear of displeasing
the general category voters," he said.
Noting that each caste in the OBC category had leaders
working for their caste, leading to a lot of infighting,
Bhujbal said the OBCs have to look at themselves as one caste
to succeed in their struggle.
"Cattle, fowl and other animals will be counted, but the
OBC won`t be. If the 52 per cent of the OBCs boycott the
Census, whom will they count?" Munde said, adding "This will
be the first time that OBCs count won`t take place in census.
Munde also voiced his "personal opinion" that there
should be reservation for OBCs women in assemblies and Lok
Sabha. "I will persevere to have my party take this view," he
said.
Munde shared the stage with Bhujbal a week after he
remarked that he should have stayed with the RSS instead of
graduating to Jan Sangh during Emergency days.
"Perhaps I should have gone back to RSS. I could have
done many other things. But now it`s too late. You can enter
BJP, there is no exit route," Munde had said.
When Nitin Gadkari, his junior in the state politics, was
made BJP president, Munde was made party`s deputy leader in
the Lok Sabha and appointed Chairman of Parliament`s Public
Accounts Committee (PAC).
On his recent remarks, political observers feel that
Munde is not too happy in BJP.
Three years ago, Bhujbal and Munde had shared stage at a
function organised by PWP leader Jayant Patil. Bhujbal had
then said, "My party colleagues, who should have been on my
side during the worst phase of my life (referring to his name
being dragged into the Telgi scam), did not trust and support
me."
Bhujbal`s remark had led to reports that the heavyweight
OBC leaders may form a front, changing political equations in
the state. However, that did not happen.
It is to be seen what happens after yesterday`s sharing
the dais of Bhujbal and Munde.
Speaking in Nagpur, Bhujbal said there should be 27 per
cent reservation for the OBCs in the Lok Sabha and assembly
elections.
"The movement for OBCs inclusion in Census and
reservation in elections will continue and even though the
OBCs constitute about 54 per cent of population, our demand is
27 per cent reservation as per Mandal Commission
recommendations," Bhujbal told reporters here today.
He pointed out that OBCs used to be counted till the
census of 1941.
Bhujbal, who was here for a couple of programmes, said
the coming together of BJP leader Gopinath Munde with him on a
common platform should not be read with any other motives
except that they were putting up demands for the OBCs.
"Neither Munde is going to leave his party nor I am going
to leave the NCP, he clarified.
Referring to the demands of the OBCs, he said, "Our fight
will be democratic and will mount pressure on the government
to look into our demands."
PTI
