The nearness of elections brings into play the most perverse votebank politics. The significance of the impending polls in Uttar Pradesh rings beyond the borders of the state. So too does the model code of conduct which would soon prohibit any major policy decision-making processes in Lucknow. The temptation may have proved irresistible for the Samajwadi Party government which approved conversion of 17 backward castes to Scheduled Castes. The move would mean further crowding of reservation space with more claimants to jobs as well as promotions. The numbers game may prove self-defeating in the end as playing up some castes would also mean depriving the chances of others. But then no politician is willing to be the first to bell the cat in this quota games.
The temptation of trying deriving an advantage when in power by committing to all kinds of schemes to attract large sections of voters is something that consumes politicians of all hues. Take for instance Karnataka, which is set to go to polls in the summer of 2018 where the ruling Congress Party has come up with the ingenious scheme of reserving all blue collar jobs for locals. This is a nakedly ambitious and divisive Bhumiputra policy which suggests desperation in trying to cover up government failure in empowering people to fill jobs with better education and skills training. Such partisan moves could backfire in the long run.
