- Since 1952, BJP won only four times, Congress won all remaining elections
- Dozen of claimants for tickets from both parties
Bharat Roy, Chhindwara
Brainstorming on caste equations is going on in Parasia assembly seat of Chhindwara district. This time in the Parasia Assembly reserved for the Scheduled Caste category, a demand is being raised regarding ticket allotment on the basis of caste equation, on the basis of which the castes with the largest number may get a chance. But amid all this, there is confusion among the selectors.
Both Congress and BJP parties are brainstorming on the winning candidate by conducting surveys at their respective levels, but till the present situation, both the parties have not been able to reach any conclusion, as a result of which a dozen leaders from Parasia Assembly are gearing up for their candidature. If we look at the situation till now, in the last four assembly elections, the candidates of Congress and BJP have been from Pasi community only. In which Tarachand Bavariya of BJP became MLA in two elections and Sohan Valmik of Congress became MLA in two elections. Although the election of 1998 was also contested by Tarachand Bavariya of Pasi community, he lost the election to Liladhar Puriya who belonged to Katiya community. Apart from this, in the year 1985, Shyamlal Valmik, father of current MLA Sohan Valmik, had also contested the elections and was defeated by Ramji Mastakar of BJP.
Now in this election, the pressure of other castes belonging to the Scheduled Caste category has started increasing on the political parties. In the year 1967, Parasia Assembly was reserved for SCs on the basis of the number of SCs, but after the new delimitation in the year 2008, 36 booths of Junnardev and 24 of Damua assembly constituency were added to Parasia Assembly. 13 booths of Parasia Assembly were cut from Parasia Assembly and included in Chhindwara Assembly. After which Parasia became a development block and an assembly. But after the addition of 60 new booths, the number of tribals in the assembly became more than that of the Scheduled Caste category. If we look at the Scheduled Caste category, apart from the Mehra and Katiya communities, the number of Scheduled Caste community is the highest including other Scheduled Caste communities. In which from caste point of view Mehra community is more while Katia population is at second place and Muslim population is at third place.
The fact worth noting in this matter is that most of the Muslim voters have been inclined towards Congress. Since independence, in the assembly elections held from 1952 to 2018, the BJP candidate has been MLA from this assembly only four times, while Congress has won all the remaining elections.
Stand of political parties on basis of caste equation
In the upcoming assembly elections to be held in the month of November, most of the candidates are being brainstormed regarding Mehra community. Since Tarachand Bavariya of Pasi community has lost in the last two elections. Therefore, this time many contenders have emerged in the party from the Mehra community. Because BJP wants to capture Parasia seat. Therefore, speculations are being made that BJP can play a big gamble in ticket allotment to capture this seat. If the party high command, which is mulling over the caste equation, has its way, then there may be a way for a candidate from the Mehra community. In which the name of Jyoti Dehariya from BJP is being mentioned in the panel, while the name of Chandrabhushan Dehariya is appearing among the main contenders from Congress.
It is noteworthy that apart from Mehra community, Damodar Patil of Congress in the year 1977 and 1980 and Ramji Mastakar from BJP in the year 1985 and 1990, Harinarayan Dehariya of Congress had become MLA by winning the election from Parasia Assembly in the year 1993.
