In a significant development, the Congress Working Committee is set to convene on the 9th of October in Delhi, where it will place a heightened emphasis on the issue of caste-based census in India. With elections looming, including state assemblies and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in five states, including Madhya Pradesh, the Congress party is gearing up for a resolute battle, with caste-based enumeration as its central rallying cry. This move comes as a strategic response to counter the Modi government and the BJP’s stance on this critical matter.
High-Stakes Strategy Meeting
Sources within the Congress reveal that during the upcoming Working Committee meeting, an extensive discussion will be held to formulate a strategy aimed at pressuring the Modi government to conduct a caste-based census. This strategy is expected to align with the Opposition’s broader coalition, which is also scheduled to discuss this pivotal issue later this month. While the meeting will encompass various election-related topics, the party’s primary focus remains firmly fixed on the caste-based census.
It is worth noting that the Congress has been vociferously advocating for a caste-based census, relentlessly criticizing the Modi government’s reluctance to undertake such an enumeration. Party insiders suggest that the Congress High Command has instructed all its leaders to double down on this issue, both in the lead-up to the forthcoming state assembly elections and the next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
A Resolution in Progress
Recent events have indicated a growing consensus within the Congress on the need for a caste-based census. This sentiment was first expressed at the Raipur AICC session and later echoed at the Hyderabad Working Committee meeting, where a proposal was passed, emphasizing the Congress party’s determination to demand a comprehensive caste enumeration. Although the issue did not receive in-depth discussion during the Hyderabad meeting, it has now been slated for thorough deliberation on the 9th of October during the Congress Working Committee gathering.
Party insiders assert that the Congress intends to use the caste-based census as a pivotal election issue in the upcoming state assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The party aims to reach out to the masses nationwide, asserting that the Modi government and the BJP are inimical to the interests of marginalized and underprivileged communities, as evidenced by their reluctance to conduct a caste-based census.
As the Congress intensifies its push for a caste-based census, it is clear that this issue has taken center stage in the party’s election strategy. With the crucial Working Committee meeting on the horizon, the Congress is set to make a resounding statement on the need for comprehensive caste enumeration. Whether this move will resonate with voters and become a game-changer in the upcoming elections remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the Congress is betting big on the caste-based census issue to energize its political campaign.