Mohan Yadav as CM signals end of BJP’s Yadav versus non-Yadav politics in Hindi heartland

Mohan Yadav

BJP’s surprise CM pick in Madhya Pradesh Mohan Yadav’s rise to the top job, is likely to have far-reaching implications in the Hindi heartland states.

53 percent Yadavs in MP and 49 percent in Chhattisgarh backed the BJP according to Axis My India Exit Poll and BJP has acknowledged and rewarded the community for their support.

OBCs: The Yadav Vs Non-Yadav Divide

BJP, over the years, has exploited the wedge between dominant Yadavs (represented by Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal in UP and Bihar) and non-Yadavs to win over the lower/most backward OBCs. The non-Yadav OBCs being higher in number have propelled BJP’s prospects in UP-Bihar.

In 2019 general elections, 63 percent Yadavs voted for SP and 55 percent for the RJD-led alliance as per CSDS National Election Studies.

By naming the only Yadav CM in the country, BJP has sent an olive branch to the community and signals an end to the Yadav versus Non-Yadav politics. It is attempting to create a big OBC vote bloc, which includes the dominant as well as non-dominant caste groups.

Why Mohan Yadav Suits BJP

MP is a perfect place for the experiment as Yadavs are not the dominant OBC caste with an estimated 6 percent of the population, which is roughly equal to Lodhi and Kurmi numbers there. Moreover, there is no palpable Yadav versus Non-Yadav politics in the state.

With the move, BJP has shown that its opposition is only to the reigning Yadav families running SP and RJD and it is not anti-Yadav. Installing a Yadav CM and giving them due representation in the power echelons is a powerful signal emanating from the party. BJP wooing the community is also on the lines of its “inclusive politics” mantra highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his victory speech.

With the caste census failing to make an impact in these elections, BJP hopes to permanently nip in the bud the “jitni abadi utna haq” slogan of the INDIA bloc by showcasing that it has given due representation to upper as well as lower OBCs.

With general elections less than four months away, BJP is on a spree to expand its social base and win support of communities outside its core base in order to achieve Mission 400+. Yadavs account for 10-14 percent population in UP-Bihar, which accounts for 120 seats.

By naming an “aam” Yadav and not a “khaas” Yadav like Akhilesh and Tejashwi, the party also has sent a message to the youth which is increasingly becoming agonistic to dynastic politics, thus dealing a psychological blow to the claims of these two young politicians for leadership of their caste.

Amitabh Tiwari is a former corporate and investment banker-turned political strategist and commentator. Twitter: @politicalbaaba. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.