BJP UPBEAT ON 10% EWS QUOTA

The Bharatiya Janata Party is confident of reaping the political benefits of providing 10% quota to the economically weaker sections (EWS) of the General Category. BJP strategists believe that EWS reservation will help the party win over at least three dominant sections—patidars or Patels in Gujarat, Marathas in Maharashtra and Jats in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh—who have led massive agitations for reservation under the OBC quota.

The BJP is eyeing to woo back these communities as, during the last five years, agitation demanding reservation by these three segments has caused an uncomfortable situation for Bjp-led governments. Notably, all these states—gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana—are ruled by the BJP. In Gujarat, the BJP had faced the ire of the Patidars in the 2017 Assembly elections and fell short of 100 seats. A massive agitation led by Patidar leader Hardik Patel was a key cause behind the BJP’S