BJP woos Adivasis, eyes 47 tribal seats in Madhya Pradesh

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, April 22

The BJP continued with its tribal outreach in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh with Home Minister Amit Shah today handing over bonus to collectors of forest produce like tendu patta (leaves) at the ‘Van Samiti Sammelan’ in Bhopal where he also announced the change in of status of 827 ‘forest villages’ into ‘revenue villages’.

Tendu patta is the biggest source of livelihood for Adivasis in the state.

There was also the demand that forest villages be declared revenue villages to ensure their development as there are several restrictions on undertaking projects in forest areas.

Terming the decision historic, the senior BJP leader said a long-pending demand had been fulfilled, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also increased substantially the allocation of funds for the welfare of tribal communities since coming to power.

“This is a government of the poor, Scheduled Tribes, dalits and backward classes. During Congress government’s time, only Rs 21,000 crore were provided for the welfare of (tribal) people, but after the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014, it has been enhanced to Rs 78,000 crore,” Shah said.

These all are part of the party’s efforts to re-establish itself among the community after losing several of the 47 tribal seats to the Congress in the closely-contested elections to the 230-member Assembly in 2018

Madhya Pradesh Assembly has 47 seats reserved for STs and 35 for Scheduled Caste.

The state has 1.53 crore Adivasis and more than 45 lakh tendu patta collectors.

In the 2013 assembly elections, the BJP won 37 of these 47 seats to retain power for the third consecutive time. However,in 2018, the Congress won 31 seats, reducing the BJP to just 16.

Notably, last year Shah distributed over five lakh LPG connections under the Ujjwala Yojana to Adivasis in Jabalpur’s Vindhya region and renamed Chhindwara University after tribal freedom fighters Shanker Shah and Raghunath Shah who participated in the 1857 mutiny against the British East India Company. Prime Minister Modi also attended Janjati Gaurav Diwas celebrations and renamed Habibganj railway station after the erstwhile tribal queen of Bhopal, Rani Kamlapati.

Speaking at the event Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also highlighted the steps taken by his government for the welfare of tribal population.