In the recent Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won four States (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won one (Punjab). There was a premise that this time, particularly in U.P., there was a strong resistance to the BJP’s Kamandal or religious nationalist politics from the Samajwadi Party (SP)’s social justice politics or Mandal politics. What actually won the day for the BJP and what, therefore, happens to the idea that Hindu religious politics can be or should be countered by caste identity politics? Radhika Ramaseshan and Indrajit Roy discuss this question in a conversation moderated by Varghese K. George. Edited excerpts:
What do you think of the notion that an Other Backward Classes (OBC) consolidation can counter the rise of Hindutva considering that this has failed in four elections in U.P.?
Radhika Ramaseshan: Caste and religion are mutually compatible in U.P. This was proven in 1991, when the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections took place simultaneously. That was when OBC consolidation segued into religion because the BJP used a heavy dose of religion in its campaign. It fought on the back of the Ram Mandir movement. The anti-minority component underpinned the rhetoric. Yet, large sections of the backward castes and Dalits were attracted to the BJP, which finally won a simple majority.
