Congress will form a 24-member OBC Advisory Council to boost backward class representation and regain voter support.
NEW DELHI: With Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stressing the need to increase representation of the backward, Dalit, and OBC communities within the party and regularly emphasising their representation in government sectors, the grand old party has decided to form an OBC Advisory Council. This council will hold dialogues and devise strategies to enhance their representation. According to Congress sources, the party has initiated plans to create a 24-member OBC Advisory Council comprising several senior leaders.
The source revealed that the party has appointed its OBC department chairman Anil Jaihind as the convenor of the committee, with Jitendra Baghel named as the council’s secretary. Several senior leaders have been included in this council, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, B.K. Hariprasad, Veerappa Moily, Subhashini Yadav, Mahesh Gaud, Gurdeep Singh Sappal, Vijay Waddetiwar, Ajay Kumar Lallu, and many others.
The source stated that the new OBC Advisory Council has been formed to address issues faced by the Other Backward Classes, discuss their representation in government jobs, and other related concerns. The move aims to bring back OBC voters to the Congress fold, as they have gradually moved away from the party over the past few decades. The source added that the council is expected to hold a meeting soon in the national capital to formulate strategies on these issues and plan measures to strengthen the party in the coming years.
Further elaborating, the source said that Gandhi’s consistent demand for fair representation of SC, ST, OBC, and tribal communities in government jobs aligns with the council’s objectives and will help achieve the vision of the Gandhi scion. The source also explained that the council will guide the party in meeting the aspirations of the OBC community and ensure greater representation within the party’s organisational structure.
Meanwhile, the need for this council was felt following Congress’s demand for a caste census across the country. The party realised the importance of OBC voters during last year’s general elections and understood the necessity of bringing them back into the party’s fold. The source further stated that the council will play a significant role in raising OBC issues, especially as the party advocates for increasing reservation beyond 50% amid calls for a detailed and transparent caste census. Congress has already been taking steps in recent months to enhance OBC representation within the party organisation.
