OBC quota in local body polls: BJP is ‘double-faced’, says Nawab Malik

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik on May 31 favoured the OBC reservation in local body elections and called out Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its “double faced attitude”. Nawab Malik said, “It is very unfortunate that Supreme Court has decided to strike down reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local body elections. Maharashtra was the first state to accept the Mandal Commission. We gave 27 per cent to OBCs in local body elections as per the rule. Now, the Supreme Court is asking to census the OBCs in the country and we feel that the Centre should accept this as it will give all of us a clear picture. Our party (NCP) is in favour of OBC reservation.” He further said, “There are some elements or organisations that are against of the reservation and are creating these problems. (They) are backed by the BJP. We feel BJP is double faced.”