NITISH TO REVIVE MANDAL FOR 2019 POLLS

The demand for caste-based reservation for different ‘backward’ communities will be at the heart of Nitish Kumar’s campaign for Delhi.

Nitish Kumar’s supporters have started the exercise of uniting various backward communities to cobble up a caste and social based coalition in order to ensure that the Bihar Chief Minister emerges as the principal opponent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This nationwide coalition has at its core the formula of bringing together the backwards and others such as Kapus, Gurjars, Patidars, Ahirs, Jats, Marathas, Vokkaligas, Kurmis and Muslims. The primary thinking of various strategists working towards the projection of the Bihar CM as a formidable alternative to the BJP is that the Mandal mantra of caste-based reservation should be both revived and galvanised to propel their effort.

Leaders from various backward communities and others, including Hardik Patel of Gujarat, who has been agitating for reservations for the Patels, the All India Jat Mahasabha, Rajasthan Gurjar Arakshan Samiti, Vokkaliga Sangh have approached Kumar in the last 10-15 days, asking him to lead their agitations in various parts of the country. Hardik Patel sent a letter to Nitish Kumar last week, inviting him to visit Gujarat. Kumar responded positively by saying he would be there next month.

Recently, Nitish Kumar, while addressing the Janata Dal United’s National Council meeting at Rajgir in Nalanda had claimed that the country was passing through an agrarian crisis due to which once prosperous and powerful agrarian castes, including Jats in Haryana, Patidars in Gujarat and Marathas in Maharashtra have been demand- ing reservations because of their poor economic condition. It was his way of sending feelers to the affected communities to join him for a better future.

JDU general secretary K.C. Tyagi said that the communities and castes that are in a pitiable condition and denied benefits of reservation recommended by B.P. Mandal Commission are now looking for answers. “The Jats, Gurjars, Vokkaligas and Patidars need reservation because of the condition they are in. The benefits of the Green Revolution and industrial revolution of Gujarat and Maharashtra too have failed to help them as protests by the Patidars and Marathas show. The large pro-reservation rallies that are happening in different parts reflect that many communities and castes are not in a good condition. Members and leaders of these communities have called upon Nitish Ku-