Congress' OBC leaders resolve to back CM Siddaramaiah, support caste census

Bengaluru: Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology Minister N S Boseraju has announced that Congress leaders from the other backward classes (OBCs) — including ministers, MLAs, and MLCs — have unanimously resolved to support Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and fully back the ongoing caste census.

They held a closed-door meeting in the city on Thursday. It gains political importance amid strong opposition from BJP and JD(S) and stiff resistance from dominant communities like Brahmins, Vokkaligas and Lingayats. 

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Boseraju said all OBC leaders extended unanimous support to the CM and called for active participation from backward classes to ensure the success of the survey.

Asserting that the survey was a constitutional step necessary for the social, economic and political upliftment of OBC communities, he argued that data was crucial to access educational opportunities and political representation.

Former chief minister M Veerappa Moily termed the meeting “historic”.

Moily warned against opposing the exercise, reminding that similar resistance was seen during the time of the Kelkar and Mandal commissions. Despite opposition, the Mandal commission recommendations were implemented, providing reservation in central government jobs for OBCs. He praised Siddaramaiah’s commitment to equality and noted that fresh opposition had emerged, even though the new survey had been instituted following objections to the Kantharaj commission. 

He highlighted that district-level awareness campaigns were underway and leaders had resolved to meet the commission as a united delegation. Backward class ministers will visit districts to spread awareness, the former CM said.

Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad said the survey was promised in the party’s manifesto and was part of its commitment. He criticised those opposing Ahinda and reservation policies. Hariprasad underlined the need for data on 197 backward castes to understand their level of deprivation.