Lok Sabha Election 2024 / Dalit card of Congress, preparation to stop BJP through new faces

Lok Sabha Election 2024: By giving entry of new members in Congress Working Committee and AICC, Congress party seems almost ready to find the way to strength. Congress party has almost made up its mind to give place to Mukul Wasnik in Congress Working Committee and Neeraj Dangi in AICC. Significantly, both these leaders come from the Dalit community and the Congress has started looking for the lost land of the Congress by paying attention to them. It is obvious that in the strategy of Congress, politics seems to be intensifying regarding the help of Dalits.

Congress is paying special attention to its core vote bank. This strategy of Congress has been clearly seen after making Siddaramaiah the CM after the Karnataka elections. In Siddaramaiah's Ahinda equation, apart from helping Dalits, a strategy has also been seen to help Muslims. It is obvious that the Congress leadership is trying to consolidate the lost ground of the party by conducting similar elections in the organization of the party. Under the leadership of party president Kharge, preparations are on in full swing to strengthen the ground of the Congress from the assembly elections to be held in the states to the Lok Sabha elections by paying attention to the Dalit face.

Why is Congress giving prominent place to Dalits in its strategy?

Apart from the Congress President, the first name of the two Dalits whom the organization has made up its mind to give importance to is that of Mukul Wasnik. Apart from the confidant of the Gandhi family, Mukul Wasnik is counted as a big leader of the Congress. Mukul Wasnik has a lot of experience of working in organization and government. Mukul Wasnik has also been the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, while he is called the big face of Dalits because of his connection with Maharashtra.

Congress has emerged as the main opposition party in Maharashtra after the split of NCP and Shiv Sena. That's why the Congress party has started trying to reduce the electoral burden by putting forward the Dalit face. Mukul Wasnik, who has a long experience of organization and government, can contribute significantly in the revival of Congress. Therefore, after a long discussion with Rahul Gandhi, newly elected Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has made up his mind to give place to Mukul Wasnik in CWC and Rajasthan's Neeraj Dangi in AICC.

Who is Neeraj Dangi and why is Congress betting on him?

Neeraj Dangi also belongs to the Dalit community. Neeraj Dangi, a resident of Rajasthan, has contested the assembly elections twice, but he faced failure in both these elections. But Neeraj Dangi had already become the choice of the central leadership due to his efficiency. That's why the Congress party called Neeraj Dangi to Delhi by making him an MP from the Rajya Sabha. Neeraj Dangi is called Ajatshatru in the Congress party.

The party has tried well by making Neeraj Dangi a member of the screening committee in the recently concluded Karnataka elections. It is said that Congress President Kharge is convinced of Neeraj Dangi's efficiency and has made up his mind to reward him by giving him a place in the AICC.

What is the strategy behind the new faces?

It is obvious that by playing bets on these two faces coming from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, the Congress has made up its mind to prepare to surround the BJP in the assembly elections of Rajasthan and Maharashtra as well as in the Lok Sabha elections. Actually there are 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and 25 in Rajasthan. The new strategy of Congress is to surround BJP in a good way in Maharashtra and Rajasthan where BJP has been performing well in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Congress's strategy is to help the traditional voters of Congress by giving attention to Dalits under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge. That's why a section of Congress is also in favor of coordination with Mayawati. It is obvious that this thinking is getting stronger in the Congress that if the Congress projects itself as a strong party, then apart from the Muslims, it can also get the support of other castes who have been the traditional voters of the Congress party.

Why is she in favor of playing the Dalit card?

Raghuveer Meena is recognized as the tribal face of Southern Rajasthan. Raghuveer Meena has also been an MP and AICC member. BJP is already engaged in efforts to help tribal society in Rajasthan, MP and Gujarat. Congress is thinking of giving answer to BJP's trick by giving place to Raghuveer Meena in CWC or AICC. Recently, AICC meeting was held in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and National President Kharge, in which serious discussions were held on major issues ranging from the return of the government in Rajasthan to the strength of the party. Apart from Dalits and tribals in Rajasthan, the Congress has made up its mind to play many bets to strengthen the Jats, Brahmins, Gujjars and Meena community.

Dalit and Adivasi voters were kind to Congress in many states

After the split in the Congress party in 1969, Mallikarjun Kharge came forward to lead the Congress after the presidency of Babu Jagjivan Ram. The Congress, under the leadership of Jagjivan Ram, achieved a resounding victory in the 1971 Lok Sabha elections. The hope of the Congress took wings on 8th December when the Congress was able to win in Himachal Pradesh despite a massive failure in the Gujarat elections. In 2017, the votes of Dalits and tribals in Himachal Pradesh were almost equally divided between Congress and BJP, but in the year 2022, Congress was successful in forming the government because of Dalit and tribal voters.

After Himachal, the victory in Karnataka has raised hopes among Dalit and tribal voters in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh where assembly elections are due later this year. It is obvious that Congress is moving ahead with the help of Dalits and Adivasis in the hope of blocking the path of BJP in the 2014 elections.