No reservations against saffron, SCs and STs embrace BJP

CHANDIGARH: While voters from the scheduled castes (SCs) and the scheduled tribes (STs) seemed to have shunned the BJP in PM Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, they played a crucial role in the party’s victory in Himachal. One third of all the seats won by the saffron party in Himachal were reserved constituencies.

Of the 20 SC and ST seats, BJP managed to win 15, adding seven to its tally from the 2012 assembly elections, taking the total number to 44.

Of the 17 seats reserved for the SC candidates in the state, BJP bagged 13. Of these, the party snatched seven from the Congress, which was limited to four seats as compared to 11 in the 2012 polls. The Congress kept Renukaji, Rampur and Rohru and lost Balh.

The incident of beating of Dalits in Una of Gujarat gave birth of a movement in the western state, but it apparently failed to have any impact the Una district of Himachal. The one reserved seats in the hill district — Chintpurni — voted for the BJP, quitting the Congress fold.

Similarly, of the three seats reserved for the ST nominees, it managed to get two, both of which were an addition as it did not win any ST seat in the previous assembly elections. Bharmaur and Lahul-Spiti came to the BJP this time, while the Congress could hold on to Kinnaur only.


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