No local body elections without reservation for OBCs: UP Deputy CM after HC order

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 28 (ANI): A day after the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court ordered holding of municipal elections without reservation for the Other Backward Class (OBC), Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Wednesday said no elections will be held without giving reservation to the community.
"The priority of the UP government and the Bharatiya Janata Party is to give reservation to backward class citizens. No elections will be held without reservation for the OBCs," Maurya told mediapersons on Wednesday.
His remarks followed a directive by the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday, asking the government to urban local body elections without reserving seats for OBC candidates.
The Deputy CM said the ruling party won't 'compromise' on the rights of the state's backward class citizens.
"We respect the order of the honourable court. However, as the ruling party and also the largest political party in the state, it is our priority to protect the rights and interests of the OBCs. That's why the government has decided that there will be no compromise on the rights of the backward classes," he said.
Maurya added that the state government, if necessary, would move the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order.
"Right now, we are having legal experts study the order. Only after a careful study of the HC order and a discussion on the legal aspects of the matter, we will take up the fight for our backward classes, who have been neglected and exploited for a long time. We will even consider moving the Supreme Court, challenging the high court order," Maurya said.
The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, while directing that the urban local body polls should be held without reservation for the OBCs, also annulled the draft notification issued by the Uttar Pradesh government on December 5 for reserving seats for OBC candidates.
Hitting out at the Opposition, especially the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP), Maurya accused it of catering to just 'one caste' and giving the issue a 'political colour'.
"The SP is trying unsuccessfully to give this issue a political colour. SP's backward politics has is limited to only one caste. They do not have the moral right to speak on this important issue. They have only milked the backward classes for votes. Their only agenda is to benefit the (Yadav) family by exploiting the OBCs," the deputy CM said.
"I assure all the OBC citizens that as long as the BJP is in power, no one can end the reservation for the backward classes. The party stands firmly with them and will continue to do so," Maurya added. (ANI)