Bhopal: Bhupesh Baghel, who emerged victorious trouncing the BJP in Chhattisgarh in the just concluded assembly polls, is fast emerging as a prominent OBC face in the Congress with indications that the party may use him extensively to mobilise the backward Kurmi community in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Improved booth management, transparent ticket distribution and sustained focus on OBCs that comprise almost half the electorate in Chhattisgarh helped a struggling Congress throw the BJP out of power in the Maoist-affected state after a gap of 15 years.
And it was Baghel who led the charge fearlessly against the Raman Singh government and was later picked up as the chief minister.
The Congress under Baghel winning 68 out of 90 seats in Chhattisgarh not only stumped political observers but also helped Baghel grow his stature significantly.
A Kurmi politician, Baghel is now being used by the party in caste equation-driven states like Uttar Pradesh, which with 80 Lok Sabha seats, holds the key to success in the 2019 general elections.
Baghel, who days ago addressed an election rally at Barabanki, an OBC-dominated belt, had hit out at BSP chief Mayawati, who had snubbed the Congress in Chhattisgarh and had aligned with the Janta Congress Chhattisgarh, led by Baghel’s detractor Ajit Jogi.
Baghel’s importance in UP politics could be gauged further as the grand old party has been devoid of any prominent Kurmi leader in the state, especially after Samajwadi leader Beni Prasad Verma left the party.
The Congress’ search for a Kurmi leader seems to have ended in Baghel.
With four per cent vote share in UP, Kurmis play a decisive role in a dozen districts in east and central regions.
The Apna Dal, a primarily Kurmi political outfit, had allied with the BJP in th 2014 Lok Sabha polls and won two seats.
The party also has a sizable backing in Varanasi and surrounding seats. We are eager to dent the BJP and Apna Dal’s OBC vote bank through Baghel, a Congress leader from UP told News18.
After UP, sources believe, Baghel could be roped in for party rallies in Bihar as well which predominantly witnesses polls on the basis of caste matrix.
The grand alliance which is eyeing NDA’s OBC vote bank, including Kurmis and Koeris, Baghel as a leading OBC face could come as boost for the Mahagathbandhan.
With Upendra Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Samta Party entering the alliance with expected Koeri votes, Baghel could offer the much-needed impetus to woo the remaining OBCs in Bihar.
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