All parties including BJP have agreed to be on board, says Nitish
Bihar News Desk: Caste-based count to take place in Bihar, says CM Nitish Kumar, all parties including BJP agree, reports ndtv.com
The Bihar CM had earlier said, “Many parties have agreed to the date. But we must have consent of all parties for holding the meeting on any particular date.”
The JD(U) leader, whose ally BJP had grown ambivalent over the issue, had expressed confidence that all parties in the state would back the proposed move before clearance is given by the cabinet.
“There should be no problem since both houses of legislature in the state have twice passed resolutions favouring a caste census”, Kumar pointed out.
The BJP’s indifference followed the Narendra Modi government’s refusal to conduct a caste census nationally.This has evoked allegations from opposition parties like the RJD that the BJP, which derives its support base from, primarily, among the upper castes, did not care much for the OBCs for whom gains are expected from a headcount of all castes.Of late there have been attempts by BJP leaders in Bihar, especially those from backward classes, that it was “never” opposed to a caste census even though the Union government might not have taken it up for “practical reasons”.
