BJP places SC and OBC leaders in key governorships ahead of UP election
The BJP appointed two Scheduled Caste and two Other Backward Class politicians as governors, signaling a caste-focused outreach before the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
In a series of gubernatorial changes, the BJP installed Braj Mohan Ram, a Dhobi (SC) leader from Jharkhand, as Governor of Odisha, and Sudha Yadav, a Yadav (OBC) member of the party's parliamentary board, as Governor of Karnataka. Dhal Singh Bisen, belonging to the Pawar agrarian community, was appointed Governor of Uttarakhand. These appointments are intended to bolster the party's appeal among Dalit and OBC constituencies ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, where the BSP's influence is waning.
The reshuffle also transferred Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar from Kerala to Tamil Nadu, with Om Prakash Mathur moving from Sikkim to Kerala. Uttar Pradesh, sending 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, remains central to the BJP's electoral strategy, making caste representation a pivotal factor.
Why it matters
The governor selections highlight the BJP's strategy to win Dalit and OBC votes in the crucial Uttar Pradesh election.
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