CM's pro-quota remark may cost BJP 10-15 seats'

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s controversial pro-reservation comment may cost ruling BJP 10-15 seats in the November 28 assembly elections in the state, results of which were all set to be out on Tuesday. The apprehension was expressed by senior BJP leader and former MP Raghunanandn Sharma, known as bitter critic of the CM.

“The ‘mai ka laal’ comment made by the chief minister two years ago has angered the upper caste people in the state. Their annoyance may reflect in the just-concluded assembly polls costing the BJP 10-15 seats”, he said while talking to reporters at Mandsaur in MP late on Sunday evening.

While dismissing the speculations that the Centre was to do away with the reservation for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the country, Mr Chouhan in 2016 had said, “Duniya ki koi taqat, koi mai ka laal, arakshan khatam nahin kar sakta. (No one can dare to end the reservation system).” The rumours had stirred violent protests across the state particularly in Gwalior-Chambal region in 2016, which forced Mr Chouhan to reassure the people on continuance of the reservation system.

However, Mr Chauhan’s comments had later fuelled fire to the agitation by upper caste people against the Centre’s move to amend the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe (prevention of atrocities) act in the state.

A BJP spokesman, however, ruled out any possibility of Mr Chauhan’s comment impacting the party’s prospects in the elections.

“It was not at all an issue in the elections”, BJP spokesman Rajnish Agrawal said.