Hindutva, Dalit agenda, a pitch for the tribal vote and now the Backwards card — Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh is leaving nothing to chance for the coming Assembly elections.Today, he roped in his Congress colleague from Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot — fresh from taming VHP’s rabble-rouser Pravin Togadia — to make inroads into the OBC vote. This afternoon they addressed the first of the seven rallies — a mahasammelan of the Mali Saini samaj to which Gehlot belongs — that the two will be attending jointly by tomorrow evening.In MP, the OBC vote comprises between 52 and 54 per cent of the total electorate. In contrast, the tribal vote percentage is 20 and the Dalit 16. But this OBC vote, which tends to favour the BJP, comprises disparate communities like Lodhis, Kurmis and Yadavs. Digvijay is aiming to make inroads into particular sections to weaken the BJP hold.The BJP itself is banking on the OBC card. Uma Bharti, a Lodhi, is leading the party campaign, while BJP Leader of the Opposition Babulal Gaur is a Yadav.While holding forth on the host of concessions his government has already unveiled for the OBCs, Digvijay targeted the Centre for its ‘‘failure’’ to make necessary changes in the Constitution to allow 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in the state.The CM hopes to push the BJP into a corner with this as to if the party makes the necessary changes now it would be conceding victory to Digvijay, while refusing to do so may allow him to milk the issue dry in the run-up to the elections.
