In anticipation of the election date, state BJP leaders have taken several decisions to win over party men and also voters. Among such initiatives is the decision to reserve government jobs for the children of Madhya Pradesh. “Our government has taken an important decision today. Government jobs in MP will only be given to children of the state. Children of MP have the right over resources of the state. My government will bring about a law to make this possible”. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at Mantralaya.

The CM didn’t give any details – whether ‘children of the state’ would mean only those born in MP, who would qualify as ‘local’, or the criteria for domicile status. Earlier in the day, the CM had tweeted: “That the future of MP’s youth should depend on unemployment allowance was never the aim of the government and never will be. It’s my dream that only natives of this state join government jobs to develop the state.”

In his I-day speech, Chouhan had said that his government would give preference to locals in government jobs, and spoke of a mechanism to employ youths on the basis of their Class 10 and 12 marks. “It is our duty to be concerned about the youths of our state at a time when job opportunities are scarce” the CM had said.

Coming ahead of crucial by polls to 27 seats, this announcement may not be on firm legal footing, but hasn’t found much opposition yet from the political rivals. Congress, in fact, pretty much urged the Shivraj government to get on with it. Former CM Kamal Nath who had tried to reserve 70% jobs in private sector for locals, said : “At last, you have woken up to the issue of employment for youth after 15 years, and announced that ‘preference’ will be given to domiciles of MP in government jobs, which is quite in line with our policy, but you should ensure that this announcement, too, doesn’t remain a mere announcement and youth of the state are not cheated”.

Although most of the political parties chose not to react to the announcement but there were several sections of the society who expressed the view that law does not allow 100 percent reservation for domicile. According to legal experts, the decision would not stand the test of law.

They point out that other states have also made such attempts in the past, but every time they lost the battle in court. Even the erstwhile Congress government’s decision in June 2019 to raise the upper age limit for domicile candidates in MPPSC examination was struck down by Supreme Court which said the age limit of domicile and non-domicile candidate can not be different.

Former Advocate general Ravinandan Singh said: “To me, it is one of those ‘populist’ announcements, which always fail the test of law. What the chief minister announced, if implemented, would be in violation of Article 14, Article 16 and Article 18 of the Constitution. My modest knowledge of the Constitution suggests that there should be open competition among all sections of people for government jobs and no preferential treatment can be given to anyone. Congress had also raised the OBC quota to 27% which was stayed by the court”.

Such issues have already been settled by the courts in the past, said senior counsel Naman Nagrath. “Preference to domicile candidates in some form is one thing but how can you have 100% reservation for domiciles? Still I would like to wait for what actually the CM meant by ‘jobs only to the domiciles’ because what he said is not a cabinet decision but an announcement by the chief minister with no details. Let them work it out. Then we will know” he said.

Former Chief Secretary Nirmala Buch said “There are by elections on 27 assembly seats. Maybe the Chief Minister wanted to say something like ‘preference’ and due to a slip of tongue ended up saying something else”.

Bye elections in 27 Vidhan Sabha constituencies are also causing serious worry to the BJP. In all these constituencies, BJP will have to support those whom party opposed in 2018 general elections. In 2018 all of them contested on the Congress tickets. But after their defection from Congress, they will now contest on BJP tickets, This U turn has caused anger in the BJP rank and file. The BJP is finding it difficult to persuade their party men to reconcile to changed situation.

The BJP noted with serious concern the report that more than two dozen BJP dissidents, including former MLAs and district heads, who claimed to be ignored by the party and are out of race for tickets for the upcoming assembly by polls, met former Rajya Sabha member Raghunandan Sharma in Bhopal.

Later, denying any differences, the leaders said that party leadership has given a positive response to their demands and assured to hold talks with them. “On the eve of the meeting, few leaders including Anoop Mishra and I had discussions with the state BJP President V. D. Sharma over the issues raised by the party leaders. It was stated that several former MLAs and district heads were feeling ignored over the communication gap with the state leadership. State party chief assured that the state organisation will take up the issue and talk to the leaders” Raghunandan told media after the meeting.

Raghunandan further said that it was decided to entrust the matter to the state organisation for one-on-one talks with Mishra, however, the decision could not be conveyed to several members and thus a meeting was called. “Most of the leaders believed that they were upset over being neglected in the party, especially after outsiders joined the BJP and were given prominence. They were also apprehensive of their role in the party. But now the party will decide the fate of these leaders” he said.

About 25 leaders from various districts joined the meeting in person and through virtual media. Sources said ahead of by elections on 27 seats in the state, BJP is unwilling to let discontentment grow within the party and cautioned that it was the organisation whose prestige is at stake during the by polls.

Sources in the BJP disclosed that the meeting ended with a strong message that loyalists who have nurtured the party with their sweat and blood are ready to fight for their rights and honour.

“Every member is free to talk to the leadership in the state. There was no confusion at all”, said BJP state spokesperson Rajneesh Agarwal. (IPA Service)