On Mandal’s 100th birth anniversary, Nitish, RJD and LJP vie for his legacy

Leaders of all major political parties remembered B P Mandal on his 100th birth anniversary on Saturday in Bihar, where quota has been a sensitive electoral issue considering that half of the state’s populations is covered under Mandal’s reservation formula for other backward classes (OBCs).

Mandal, besides being Bihar chief minister, had headed the backward classes commission that recommended 27% quota in jobs for the OBCs. The UPA-1 had extended the quota to admissions in higher education institutions.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar along with senior Cabinet colleagues paid visit to Mandal’s native village Moroh, a first for a CM since 1992. “In between, only ministers used to visit,” said a Muroh native, who was not willing to be quoted.

The CM also took part in an all faith prayer meet and released a coffee-table book on him. Earlier in the day, Kumar along with assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary and ministers paid homage by garlanding Mandal’s statue.

Other political parties were also not behind.

While Kumar did not speak, an NDA alliance partner and RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha demanded release of the socioeconomic caste census to settle the issue of 27% quota to OBCs.

Kushwaha, who is also union minister for state, demanded that Mandal’s reservation formula should be applied to the private sector. He also asked to ensure reservation in promotion for OBCs in the government sector.

Another NDA ally, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) organised a separate function in Delhi on the occasion and termed the birth anniversary as Social Empowerment Day, crediting Mandal for upliftment of the backwards.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal, whose leader Lalu Prasad was instrumental in getting the Mandal commission recommendation implemented, paid him homage at a function in party office in Patna.

“Only five per cent of the recommendations made by Mandal Commission have been implemented. We will not sit idle till all the recommendations are implemented,” party leader Tejashwi Yadav said.