New Delhi,  The Madhya Pradesh BJP, which has been in power for almost 17 years in the state, has decided to make inroads among sub-sections of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) who are still not supporting the saffron party. The BJP believes that by gaining the support of these sub-sections it will further weaken the rival Congress in the state.

The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, except for 15 months between December 2018 to March 2020 when Congress leader Kamal Nath was Chief Minister. In March 2020, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was sworn in again after the fall of the Kamal Nath government after then Congress leader and now Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and his supporters left the party and joined the BJP.

Madhya Pradesh BJP in-charge, P Murlidhar Rao told IANS that the party has decided to reach out to the sections of SC, ST and OBC who are still not connected with the party.

"The BJP is getting support from all the communities including SC, ST and OBC but there are some sub-sections among these communities where we don't have support. We have decided to reach out to these sub-sections of SC, ST and OBC communities who are still supporting the opposition parties," Rao said.

Rao explained that these sub-sections are supporting the Congress and by winning their confidence and support the BJP will destroy the last bastion of the opposition party in Madhya Pradesh and also help the party to expand its base among new groups of voters. "By making inroads among these sub-sections, the BJP will not only weaken the Congress but it will also help us to win the strongholds of the rival party," Rao said.

The party has started drawing up plans to win the confidence of the new groups of voters. The party strategists feel that winning the support of these groups will help the BJP to make inroads among the last few strongholds of the Congress.

"By winning the support of these groups, we will be establishing the BJP as the party of all the sections of society irrespective of caste and community," a party leader said.

The next assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh will be held at the end of 2023 and the reach out plan is part of strengthening the party ahead of the elections.