The Hindu : BJP feels upstaged by Gehlot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 23, 2003

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Other States - Rajasthan

BJP feels upstaged by Gehlot

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 22. The Bharatiya Janata Party was rather cautious in its reaction to the announcement by the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, that the State Cabinet had recommended to the Centre some reservation for economically weak among the forward communities, including Brahmins and Rajputs.

Coming as it does before the Assembly elections in Rajasthan and several other States, the BJP feels upstaged by the Congress Government's announcement. Worse, since the ball has been thrown by Mr. Gehlot into the Centre's court, it is the BJP which will have to decide one way or another.

If it is unable to legislate for reservation for the "upper castes," it could annoy its considerable supporters in these groups.

And legislating in favour will be difficult, if not impossible, because of the upper limit of 50 per cent reservation fixed for all categories by the Supreme Court. Without any reservation for the upper castes, that limit has virtually been reached (22.5 per cent for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and 27 per cent for backward castes).

The BJP spokesperson, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said today the issue would be discussed at the party's coming central office-bearers' meeting on May 25 in Jaipur.

"We will discuss the issue in detail,'' he said while admitting that for many years the BJP had favoured reservation based on economic considerations as against only on caste basis.

What is clear is that the party has been taken by surprise and left fumbling for the right response. Recently, the `yatra' launched in Rajasthan by the BJP State president, Vasundhararaje Scindia, met opposition from an organisation demanding reservation for the economically weak forward castes. Mr. Gehlot seems to have taken full advantage of that.

For the record, Mr. Naqvi described the State Cabinet decision as a "gimmick" and added that Mr. Gehlot was trying to divert the people's attention away from issues of hunger and starvation, poverty and unemployment, misgovernance and corruption.

Even as Mr. Naqvi talked of corruption in the Congress-ruled States he had nothing to say about the arrest of a personal assistance of the National Democratic Alliance Minister, Gingee Ramachandran, for allegedly taking money for "transfers and postings''.

"That was indeed unfortunate, we will have to see what happens (in that case),'' he said.

The party also took note of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's latest letter to the Prime Minister, suggesting that instead of writing letters she should improve "governance in the States ruled by her party.

Instead of suggesting new schemes, her party's governments should be implementing the existing central schemes, Mr. Naqvi said. (Ms. Gandhi had written to say that the Centre should ensure access to food for all).

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