Maharashtra Youth Congress leader accuses BJP of exploiting OBCs for votes

Maharashtra Youth Congress leader criticizes BJP's exploitation of OBCs as vote bank, vying for Lok Sabha candidacy in Vidharba.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been exploiting Other Backward Classes (OBCs) solely as a vote bank without delivering the promises, says Maharashtra Youth Congress general secretary Shivani Wadettiwar, daughter of Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar.

Speaking to The Hindu, she criticised the ruling party for failing to conduct a caste census despite having the authority to do so, leaving the community disillusioned. “OBCs have started realising that they are being used as a vote bank by the saffron party. Similarly, the party is utilising the Maratha for electoral gains,” she said.

The 28-year-old is vying for candidacy in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Congress Party in Vidharba’s Chandrapur seat. The BJP has declared State Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar as its candidate for the constituency, known for its industries and rich forests housing tiger populations.

“As Chandrapur is an industrial hub, I’ve been collaborating with industries through the trade union, Vijay Kranti Kantrati Kamgar Sanghatana, particularly for the welfare of contract workers. This has provided me with insights into the State’s affairs and grassroots realities. We cannot overlook the issue of unemployment and have been working to assist locals in the district through the industries,” Ms. Wadettiwar said.

Responding to potential criticism of her candidacy as a product of a family dynasty, she defends her credentials as a loyal party worker, having been associated with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Youth Congress. “Our party has a policy in place to recognise individuals, who worked in the party for more than five years, based on their contributions rather than familial ties. It was discussed during the Jaipur convention” she said, adding that the BJP lacks the moral authority to accuse her party of nepotism as nine out of 20 candidates announced by the BJP for the Western State are dynastic.

She stated that in the current scenario, the Parliament needs increased representation from the youth to address and advocate for issues such as unemployment, women’s rights, inflation, agriculture and other challenges. “I had plans to run in local body elections and then proceed to major elections, but the current government is scared to conduct local body elections, which is halting the hopes of several aspiring leaders,” she said.

The Youth Congress leader also holds the opinion that society typically perceives a politician’s son as the natural successor, while overlooking their daughter, and she wants to change the perception. “Despite having support from the family, it remains a significant challenge,” she added.