As Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel drives the Congress towards this year’s Assembly elections, the rear-view mirror shows months of turmoil over the sensitive question of reservation and the challenge of maintaining a social coalition he has built in a State dominated by socio-economically disadvantaged groups.
The fact that the Supreme Court granted interim relief on Monday to the Chhattisgarh government on its plea challenging a State High Court order on reservations of September 2022 has come as a breather for Mr. Baghel. However, it opens up new possibilities of conflict. The apex court stayed the High Court order setting aside 58% reservation (32% for Scheduled Tribes, 14% for Other Backward Classes and 12% for Scheduled Castes or 32-14-12) in government jobs and educational institutions.
In the seven months since the last order, recruitment and admissions have stalled. There has been palpable anger directed at the government, especially among the tribal people — a traditional vote bank for the Congress. Some factions of the Sarva Adivasi Samaj were even planning to field their own candidates in the Assembly elections. They say they will still do so if they have to settle for anything less than what the 32-14-12 formula provides for.
