Bengaluru: The BJP is going all out to wean away the other backward classes (OBC) support for the Congress, which had thrived on it in the 2013 assembly poll, with a mega OBC rally in Bengaluru on November 27. Over two lakh people from these communities from across the state are expected to attend the event.
Leaving nothing to chance the party’s OBC leaders and supporters of state BJP president, B.S.Yeddyurappa have held district and taluk level meetings to drum up support for the rally and also made sure that its OBC Morcha's membership swelled by 6,80,273.
The party’s OBC Morcha chief, B.J. Puttaswamy, who is in charge of organising the mega event at the Palace Grounds says it is meant to bring the other backward communities on to one platform and inform them about the " misdeeds of the Congress government."
While a majority of OBC voters had supported the Congress in the 2013 state elections to ensure that Kuruba strongman , Siddaramaiah became Chief Minister, the BJP believes it has a good chance of winning them over now as he has done little for the community since coming to power.
“When I interacted with over 80 OBC leaders a few days ago, they told me they were unhappy with Mr Siddaramaiah for ignoring the community. In fact they praised theYeddyurappa government for taking welfare schemes to many OBC communities,” Mr Puttasway said, recalling that the then BJP government had generously funded OBC mutts, schools and hostels in the state.
“The OBC leaders assured us that they would not repeat their mistake of 2013 in the 2018 elections and promised to attend the BJP rally in Bengaluru in large numbers,” he claimed.
