When the Gehlot government announced its decision to reserve 14 per cent jobs for the economically weaker sections among the upper castes with less than six months remaining to the elections, it offset a game of political one-upmanship between the two parties. The issue has since then emerged as the main poll plank in the electoral battle. Though at that time BJP dismissed the decision as a "sheer stunt", the party was no doubt stunned by the move since it was the BJP which had first raised the issue. But not to let Congress run away with the advantage, it passed a resolution favouring such reservations. However, with one eye firmly on elections, the Union Cabinet decided to accord reservation for economically backward classes in a meeting on 3rd October. It also decided to set up a commission to elicit the views of state governments and work out modalities in this regard.