Party’s strategy incorporating its policy idea on the scheduled castes is likely to come up for discussion dur... Read More

(This story originally appeared in on Aug 9, 2018)

Rajasthan Congress is planning to incorporate a policy stance on Dalits to help attract their votes in the upcoming Assembly polls, according to a top Congress official.

The party’s strategy incorporating its policy idea on the scheduled castes (SC) is likely come up for discussion during Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Jaipur on August 11, the official said.

Most Dalits, who account for a fifth of the state’s population, had voted for the BJP in the last election. Congress then had lost all the 34 seats reserved for the SCs. In 2008, when Congress had formed the government in the state, it could bag only 18 seats.

Nitin Raut, the newly appointed chairman of AICC’s scheduled caste department, told ET that the party is committed towards the development of the backward and weaker sections. “We are planning to launch a separate manifesto for the scheduled castes community.

For that we will prepare district-wise agendas. Our focus is to win back the trust of the weaker sections,” he said.

In the past, Congress’ policy stance for polls in UP, Gujarat and Karnataka have included sops and promises with focus on the weaker sections of society. In UP, the party had promised free education, housing, safe water, power, jobs and free medical facilities for Dalits in its eightpoint ‘Dalit Manifesto’.

“Rajasthan would also have similar promises in its Dalit manifesto. We have been asked to give our inputs,” said another senior Congress leader.

In Jaipur, Gandhi is expected to flag off the party’s poll preparations on Saturday. “On his visit, he would address party leaders, office bearers and workers and motivate them for the final run,” said Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma. Gandhi is also scheduled to visit two temples

