Maha marks ‘equality year’ from April 14
In a move to strengthen its support base among backward castes, women and minorities ahead of the local body elections next year, the Maharashtra Congress is celebrating a year-long Samajik Samata Varsha (social equality year) from April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
Though backward castes (SC, STs) and minorities constitute the traditional support base of the party, the coalition era that in Maharashtra since 1995, damaged this winning combination. Moreover, the formation of the Sharad Pawar-led party also made a dent in the Congress’ support base among Marathas, SCs and minorities. The state Congress had organised a rally at historic Mahad from where Dr B.R. Ambedkar had launched the satyagraha against untouchability in December 1927 and drank water from Chavdar Tale (lake).
The rally was addressed by AICC in-charge for the state Mohan Prakash, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, PCC president Manikrao Thakre and others.
The Congress objective is not only to regain lost grounds among these sections but to identify and promote its second and third rung from tehsil level after smelling that a next electoral battle could be multi-cornored. A section of the Congress has been insisting that the party should not only fight the local body elections on its own, but prepare to fight all important elections without a pre-poll alliance.
While the main Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP combine is not in a position to defeat the Congress mainly because the majority communities (Maratha, Muslim and dalits) cannot be comfortable with the saffron combine. The emergence of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS has weakened the saffron combine further.
On the other hand, the NCP has not succeeded to become a major player like the BJD in Orissa, the Trinamul Congress in West Bengal and thereby depending on the Congress to remain in power.
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