In first tactical meeting in Delhi, INDIA bloc pushes for caste census

The INDIA alliance on Wednesday agreed to take up the issue of caste census, Congress leader KC Venugopal said after the bloc’s crucial coordination committee meeting in Delhi earlier in the day.

The committee has also decided to “start the process for determining seat-sharing”, Venugopal said.

“The first public meeting will be held at Bhopal in the first week of October on the issues of rising prices, unemployment and corruption of the BJP government,” the statement indicated.

For seat sharing, state-level committees will be formed to hold discussions with INDIA parties in that state.

From among the total of 14 opposition parties that are a part of the decision-making body, only about 12 were present for the meeting on Wednesday. The most significant absentee was the Trinamool Congress; whose nominee — Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee was “conveniently” summoned today by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in appointments to government schools.

The TMC leader’s absence was significant because his party had refused to support the bloc’s intention to push the government to conduct a caste census. Trinamool chief and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had opposed adding this demand to a joint political resolution, according to media reports.

With the TMC leader absent from the meeting, the INDIA alliance decided to push for a caste census call now and speak to the party later — a decision that will almost certainly not go down well with Banerjee.

“The parties present in the meeting agreed to take up the issue of Caste Census. The coordination committee decided to start the process for determining seat-sharing. It was decided that the member parties will hold talks and decide at the earliest,” the bloc said.

The INDIA alliance has also formed a sub-committee to select TV channels and news organisations on which they will not appear for interviews or panel discussions.