Friday, 17 May, 2024
It is well known that the BJP lacks a pan-India face to represent tribals, who constitute nearly 9 per cent of the country’s population
The Bharatiya Janta Party has killed several birds in one stone by nominating Draupadi Murmu as NDA's presidential candidate. The 64-year-old veteran comes from Santhal tribe, the largest tribe in the Jharkhand state and considerable presence in Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West Bengal.
It is well known that the BJP lacks a pan-India face to represent tribals, who constitute nearly 9 per cent of the country’s population, with bigger concentration in several politically significant states. Congress and regional parties like Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Jharkhand and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) in Gujarat and Rajasthan bags most of the tribal votes. Other states with sizeable chunk of tribal population includes Maharashtra (10.05%), Odisha (23%) and Assam (12%). With Murmu in Rashtrapati Bhavan, BJP is trying to make inroads into the community.
In Gujarat, which is set to go for polls later this years, about 15 percent of the total population is tribal, according to 2011 census. In 2017 polls, out of 182 seats, 27 seats are reserved for the tribals. Congress won 15 out of these, while BJP managed to win only 9. In the 2012 assembly election, 31.1 percent of total INC seats (61 in nos.) and 17.4 percent of total BJP seats (115 in nos.) were won from the reserved constituencies.
Talking about Madhya Pradesh, the tribal population is 21.5 percent. Infact, the state has the highest numbers of tribals in India. In 2018, the BJP won 16 seats in Madhya Pradesh’s 48-tribal-dominated seats, against 31 in 2013 and 29 in 2008. Congress gained 28 of tribal-dominated seats, their best performance ever.
Chhattisgarh has even more significant tribal population with a share of 30 percent. BJP’s popularity in 29 tribal-dominated constituencies further dwindled from 2013. BJP registered its worst performance in the state winning only four reserved seats, seven fewer than in 2013 when it had won 11. In 2008, the BJP had won 19 scheduled-tribe seats. Congress on the other hand trumped to power by winning a record 24 scheduled-tribe seats.
Overall out of 128 tribal dominated seats in the four-poll bound states, BJP managed to win only 35 of these seats.
Surprisingly, when it comes to national elections, the situation is completely opposite. Here, BJP has managed to seize a sizeable chunk of tribal votes from Congress, both in 2014 and 2019. Analysis of the previous elections data shows that 47 seats reserved for candidates from scheduled tribes, in 2019 elections, BJP won 31 seats (65.95 percent), while the Indian National Congress won only four seats. It had won 27 in 2014. While the Indian National Congress won only four seats.
Even in states having sizeable tribal population, BJP scored better. It won three out of four tribal seats in Chhattisgarh, all six reserved seats in Madhya Pradesh, all four reserved seats in Gujarat, three of the four reserved seats in Maharashtra (one more was won by its ally Shiv Sena), all three reserved seats in Rajasthan and both the reserved seats in West Bengal.
