Political agenda is being set amidst the campaign for the assembly elections in Haryana. BJP is trying to score a hat-trick of power. In such a situation, Congress wants to end its ten-year exile.
Mention of 36 communities in Panchayat and Khap seats
Former Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda is saying in every rally that Congress is getting the support of '36 communities'. BJP leaders are also talking about the interests of '36 communities'. Not only this, 36 communities are also mentioned in social panchayats and Khapni meetings of the village.
Caste politics among political parties
Caste politics is going on in Haryana between Jat versus non-Jat political parties, but the issue is the interests and representation of 36 communities. Congress has fielded the maximum number of 35 Jat candidates while BJP has fielded the maximum number of 24 OBC candidates. Thus, both BJP and Congress have selected candidates according to the political mood of the seat, but have insisted on taking 36 communities.
Haryana has the largest number of Jat community
Haryana has the largest population of Jats, who come under the general category, while in states like UP and Rajasthan they come under the OBC category. The population of Jat caste in Haryana is about 25 to 27 percent. After this, the number of people of Dalit community divided into many sub-castes including Ravidasi and Valmiki is 21 percent. The population of OBC is 30 to 32 percent, which includes about 32 sub-castes including Gurjar, Yadav, Saini, Prajapati, Kamboj, Kumbhar, Sonar, Lohar. The upper caste community includes castes like Punjabi, Brahmin, Rajput, Vaishya (Baniya). Apart from this, the Muslim community is also divided into different castes.
Repeated mention of support from 36 communities
Amidst the political fervor of the assembly elections, when a candidate goes to a village for campaigning, the villagers and supporters welcome him. In such a situation, an attempt is made to give the message that 36 communities welcome him. This is the reason why the voice of 36 biradari can be heard not only in Haryana but also in western UP and Rajasthan. It is said that it has the patronage of 36 communities ranging from Jats to Gurjars and Muslims.
Trying to attract non-Jat votes
In the 2014 and 2019 elections, the Bhupendra Singh Hooda-led BJP in Haryana tried to attract non-Jat votes by establishing the Congress as a Jat party. In such a situation, it is believed that the Jat vote bank in Haryana will not go with the BJP. Congress and Bhupendra Hooda talk about supporting 36 communities only to break the pro-Jat image. Congress has bet on the support of 36 communities in Haryana by giving tickets to Jats, Dalits, OBCs, Punjabis, Brahmins and Muslims.
BJP fielded 17 Jat candidates
Seeing the political power and importance of Jat votes in Haryana, BJP is also trying to come out of its anti-Jat image. In the Lok Sabha elections, the Jat community united and voted in favor of Congress, which has caused loss to BJP. BJP has fielded 17 Jat candidates in this election. Apart from this, an attempt has been made to give the message of 36 communities by giving tickets not only to OBCs, Brahmins and Punjabis but also to two Muslims.