The Congress party was planning to raise issues such as inflation unemployment. These issues have taken a backseat now and the party is again gearing up to fight the battle on the issues of Adani, Constitution and caste census. The Congress party is set to focus its political strategy on key issues such as Adani, the Constitution, and the caste census. As announced on Tuesday, Congress will bet on these issues in the elections of these states in Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Jammu Kashmir to be held at the end of the year.
The Government of India has decided to keep the reservation system unchanged, meaning there will be no “quota within quota” for specific sub-groups. This decision has been controversial, with the Bahujan Samaj Party and some NDA allies opposing it, as they believe it would negatively impact Dalits the most.
The Congress has found itself in a difficult position due to this move. Two of its Chief Ministers have publicly supported the decision, while the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh has chosen to remain silent on the matter.
Additionally, Congress remains uncertain about its stance on the Supreme Court’s decision regarding reservations. The party is not clearly stating its position and is avoiding direct responses about the “quota within quota” ruling. While Congress has yet to make an official decision, the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Telangana, promptly welcomed the decision and announced their intention to implement it.
The challenges ahead of Congress don’t end here. In Himachal Pradesh, it is anyway a state of forward castes. In Uttar Pradesh, its biggest ally Samajwadi Party also does not agree with the Supreme Court’s decision According to sources, Congress has decided to focus efforts on the Supreme Court’s “quota within quota” ruling during today’s meeting. However, the main agenda has shifted to the Hindenburg report and the Adani-SEBI issue.
Many Congress-aligned NGOs, as well as leaders in Karnataka and Telangana, support the SC decision. Congress is now considering pressuring the government to introduce a Bill after further talks. The party noted that, according to its president Mallikarjun Kharge, the government could have proposed the Bill during the Budget session if it truly intended to address the issue. Congress is watching reactions from states and allies and aims to avoid escalating Dalit politics.