Akhilesh for caste census, rejects BJP’s ‘pasmanda’ factor

He claimed that the Congress during the UPA-2 regime had promised to conduct a caste census, but later 'backtracked'

The ‘caste census’ tops Samajwadi Party’s agenda for Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

Addressing reporters at the end of the party’s two-day meeting in Kolkata on Sunday, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the biggest issue is that the caste census should take place. Yadav said so while responding to a DH query on issues that may find importance before a likely emerging ‘third front’ – a possible coalition of non-Congress, non-BJP parties.

Yadav said the BJP raised the slogan of ‘achche din’ (good days) in 2014. "The BJP’s representatives are also raising the slogan, sabka saath sabka vikas, sabka vishwas (Everyone’s support, development, trust of all), aur (and) sabka prayas (everyone’s efforts). Everyone’s effort will only be included, when caste census takes place,” he said, adding that many parties in the country, including south India, and people, are in favour of the census. Without it, social justice is not possible, he said.

Read | Regional parties to play key role in defeating BJP in 2024: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

The SP chief reiterated that the BJP needs to respond to promises it made in its earlier manifesto, and claimed that the party and its coalition partners will defeat the ruling party (BJP) in all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

On being asked what’s the “formula” for the much-talked-about “Third Front”, Yadav said, “Formula will not be disclosed. The formula, simply put, is to defeat the BJP”. He said that regional parties, and a few others, are attempting to form an alliance, coalition, or front.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, chief ministers of Telangana, Bihar, and leaders of regional parties are making efforts to get a front in place, and as far as Congress is concerned, it needs to decide on its role, Yadav said. There’s no list prepared, as of now, of parties that could come together for an alliance, he added.

Talking about ‘pasmanda’ (left behind) Muslims, Yadav said that several projects his party had taken in Uttar Pradesh for the underprivileged section among Muslims were stopped by the BJP, subsequently. Yadav considered any outreach attempt by the party in power, deceptive.

On being enquired if the scrutiny of central investigative agencies is likely to tighten further in days to come, Yadav said: “There’s one, or two months, after which the election process will begin. The election (process) has begun. BJP may try its best. The commoners know that parties that can defeat the BJP, only at their homes the agencies are reaching out… And all those who have misused the agencies… In the past, Congress used to indulge in this… Today, the BJP is treading the path of the Congress. When Congress has got diminished, so will the BJP,” he said.