Big blow for Congress: OBC Department chief quits, says no presentation in CWC, CEC

Over a week after a crushing defeat in Haryana, senior Congress leader Ajay Singh Yadav has stepped down as OBC Department President. "I have sent my resignation letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s ji from Chairman AICC OBC Department and also from primary membership of Indian National congress party."

In an interview, Yadav said the post he was given was an eyewash. From South Haryana, there is no OBC in CWC, CEC, Haryana Pradesh Committee, Yadav said while speaking to news agency ANI. The senior leader said that the party's indifference towards Gurgaon, Mahendragarh, Rewari, and Faridabad hurt the Congress.    

BJP's Amit Malviya hit out at the Congress as Gandhi has been attacking the NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for OBC representation in the Centre. He said Rahul Gandhi, who talks about caste, is not even able to give respect to the backward classes within the Congress.

"Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, Chairman AICC OBC, criticised Rahul Gandhi and Congress leadership for not giving adequate representation to SC, ST and OBCs in the CWC and CEC. He has now resigned. Forced?" he said. 

Days after the defeat in Haryana, Yadav said several leaders were responsible for the setback. He flagged mistakes while distributing tickets, concentration of power, and no representation of OBCs in the key decision-making bodies.

"I am the OBC Chairman, and in that capacity, I believe that the OBC Chairman, along with SC-ST leaders, should be invited to the Extended Working Committee meetings. You can't compare the SC-ST and OBC departments with others, such as the Hindi or Professional Departments. These things need to change with time, and the party needs to evolve its strategies and functioning," Yadav said during a discussion with a TV channel. 

Yadav, who has served in Haryana and Centre, said he had recommended 15-16 candidates for tickets in the assembly polls, but only 2-3 names were accepted. He suggested that people from his community would not align if they realised that he had no say in the party.     

"There are 11 seats in our area (the Ahirwal region), which is dominated by Yadavs. We won only one seat there, and that too went to a Gurjar candidate, Manju Chaudhary. Six of our candidates were Yadavs, and we lost all six. In Madhya Pradesh, they (BJP) made a Yadav the Chief Minister. They introduced a new model. Mohan Yadav came here to campaign."

The former union minister suggested that he had no power despite heading an important department. "You (Congress central leadership) should prioritise OBCs, and give power to the OBC chairman. Now, election is due in Maharashtra. I'll go there. As OBC Chairman, if I recommend 10 winning candidates and three or four get tickets, only then will people align with me," the Congress leader said. 

Yadav said the CWC (Congress Working Committee), CEC (Central Election Committee), and Extended Committee — none of them include an OBC representative from Haryana. He stated that SC, ST, minority, and OBC representatives should be given a place in the Extended Working Committee.