Congress Bets Big On Caste Survey, Promises Bihar-Like Census In Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh

Ahead of the crucial assembly polls, the Congress party is betting big on a Bihar-like caste survey. While Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has promised a caste census in the state, addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also promised a similar census in the state if the party is voted to power again. Since the Bihar government released its caste survey data earlier this week, the clamour has been growing among states for the census.

"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made the caste census system in the Raipur session of Congress, and we will do it here on the basis of the same. Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste census like Bihar. We will take the concept that there should be participation of the people as per their population. Instructions will be given to conducting caste-based census on the lines of Bihar," CM Gehlot said.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said if Congress is voted to power again in the state, a caste census will be conducted here as well. "I announce that if Congress repeats government in Chhattisgarh, then like Bihar, we will also hold caste census in the state," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said at a public event in poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Kanker.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has already demanded a national caste census while pitching for 'greater the population, greater the rights'. On the other hand, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has also announced a socio-economic survey of the state's “indigenous” Muslim sub-groups.

While the BJP has accused the opposition parties of trying to divide Hindus on caste lines, the opposition parties are seeing this as an opportunity to break BJP's vote bank on caste lines.