Congress eyeing OBC vote bank in Patiala, Ferozepur

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, March 3

With elections round the corner, the Congress is now eyeing the sizeable non-Jat vote bank— the OBC. PPCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said due representation would be given to the community in the distribution of tickets.

In three Parliamentary segments Ferozepur, Anandpur Sahib and Patiala, the OBC vote bank has a sizeable chunk. OBC leaders in the Congress have already brought it to the notice of the party’s central leadership that despite being a sizeable vote bank, they have been ignored, as had been the case in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections. They rue that Jats are holding important positions in the party.

With reports of talks between SAD and the BJP, party leader feel that the OBC and Hindu vote bank will play a key role. It is pointed out that in the first list of 195 candidates announced by the BJP, OBC candidates have been given due representation.

Former Cabinet minister and prominent OBC leader Sangat Singh Gilzian said he had raised the issue of representation to the OBC during the screening committee meet. “I have also raised the issue with Rahul Gandhi,” he added.

Amit Bawa, AICC national joint coordinator, said over the years, young OBC leaders had not been groomed. “With Rahul has escalating the issue, the hope of young leaders has revived. Two tickets should be given to OBC candidates,” he said.

It is being pointed out that after Charanjit Singh Channi, Nawanshahr leader and son of Congress stalwart Dilbagh Singh, quit the Congress in 2016, no OBC leader has been groomed by the party. After the late Gaini Zail Singh, the Ramgarhia community had been sidelined by the party, said Rajpal Singh, a senior OBC leader.

Being ignored, say OBC leaders

OBC leaders in the Congress have already brought to the notice of the party’s central leadership that, despite being a sizeable vote bank, they have been ignored, as had been the case in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 LS elections.