Rajasthan Elections 2023 / CM Gehlot can bet on OBC reservation, caste census will be an election promise

Rajasthan Elections 2023: After the release of caste census data in Bihar, now the Ashok Gehlot government of Rajasthan is also preparing to play a bet on it, it is believed that Congress can include caste census in its election promise. Apart from this, the government is also considering increasing OBC reservation. It is even being said that Gehlot government can announce it even before the election code of conduct is implemented.

In the long run, some OBC castes in Rajasthan are demanding to increase the limit of OBC reservation. Apart from this, there is a continuous demand for caste census, hence rumblings regarding this have started in the Gehlot government. This is more important because elections can be announced soon in Rajasthan, in such a situation Gehlot government does not have time for caste census, hence this promise can be included in the election manifesto, but OBC The announcement of increasing reservation can be made before the implementation of the code of conduct. The statement of Rajasthan government minister Pratap Khachariyawas also confirms this, in which he has said that the Rajasthan government is with Rahul Gandhi's opinion on the issue of caste census.

Gehlot has already claimed to increase OBC reservation

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, in a public meeting in Banswara on August 9, had announced to conduct caste census and increase the OBC reservation limit from 21 to 27 percent. He had also made a post regarding this on social media platform X. In this he had said that OBC reservation will be increased by 6 percent, but extremely backward castes will be included in it. After this, Jats were enraged in Rajasthan, Jat leader Rajaram had said on Gehlot's post that if the government gave increased reservation only to the most backward castes, then it would be like a conspiracy to divide the OBCs. Jats will not accept this. Although he welcomed the caste census.

Differences in Congress on caste census

After this announcement by CM Ashok Gehlot, differences were seen among Congress leaders on caste census. In the month of August itself, Congress leader Raghu Sharma had opposed this in a meeting held in Jaipur. After this, CM Gehlot had put it on hold. However, in view of the elections in Rajasthan, both these issues are being revived once again to woo the OBC class, because OBC leaders in Rajasthan have been continuously claiming that their number in the state is more than 50 percent, but there is no demand for reservation. The limit is only 21 percent.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal raised questions

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has raised questions on the caste census, he has said that - 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is our basic mantra'. He asked that - when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, a social and economic survey was conducted, but its figures are now available. Why were they not released till now? From which mouth is he speaking now, he said that according to the data of NITI Aayog, the condition of the poor has improved after 2014, 13.5 crore people have come above the poverty line, we are continuously providing economic and social support to the people.