while in opposition, BJP had targeted MVA on this issue, claiming that the Supreme Court showed its government’s apathy towards OBCs by withholding the quota. The fact that the Court’s approval has now come under the Shinde-Fadnavis government – even if on a panel basis, the Banthia Commission, which was set up by the MVA government – may allow BJP To walk away with all the credit.
Local body elections in Maharashtra have been put on hold as the Supreme Court has said it cannot allow OBC reservation without passing a “triple test” to ascertain and quantify OBC numbers. The Triple Test included the formation of a dedicated commission to conduct a rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and implications of quantified backwardness in local bodies within the state; recommendation by the panel on the number of seats to be reserved; and an assurance that the seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes shall not exceed 50% in aggregate.
The MVA government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had set up a commission to meet the above criteria, following a court order, besides seeking the Centre’s intervention on the matter. It had also urged the court to direct the Center to provide OBC data as it had conducted a caste census whose details have not been revealed.
The BJP accused the MVA of evasiveness on the issue, instead of setting up the commission as warranted by the Supreme Court, trying to pin the blame on the Modi government. Now, that delay may come back to haunt him, with the panel that was eventually set to submit its report after the MVA government was toppled.
The intentions of the MVA were questioned by several organizations of OBCs as well as OBC leaders within the coalition government. Among the most vocal was senior OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal Vijay Waddetiwar of NCP and Congress. However, publicly, Bhujbal had supported the MVA stand, saying: “If the Center presents the OBC data that it has, it will immediately help us get the reservation back.”
The Center, in turn, had argued that only a state could furnish empirical data regarding its numbers. Even the Supreme Court commented on the “non-seriousness” of the MVA government in the matter and accused it of trying to postpone the local body elections.
Once in power, the BJP moved swiftly on the issue – perhaps taking cues from its government in Madhya Pradesh, which had received court approval for OBC quotas based on a report set up by it.
Chief Minister in his first cabinet meeting on 30 June Eknath Shinde And Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis took OBC reservation. It was also decided to provide funds and infrastructure to the Banathia Commission which was allegedly backward.
On their first visit to Delhi after taking oath, the two met Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to represent the state’s case in court on the issue.
Ultimately, the Shinde-Fadnavis government ensured that the report of the Banthia Commission is presented in the Supreme Court a day before the July 12 hearing.
At 38% of the population, OBCs play a significant role in Maharashtra politics, and are present in varying proportions throughout the state. The second most influential community is 33% Marathas. The basic vote base of BJP in the state is OBC. The Vidarbha region, which has been a stronghold of the party, has the highest presence of OBCs. It has 62 of the state’s 288 assembly seats and 10 of its 48 constituencies.