Cong’s newfound assertiveness
Often regarded as a third wheel in the Maharashtra alliance, Congress is now looking to assert itself more aggressively in the government s functioning and policy making. While the SC/ST communities in Maharashtra have traditionally been a loyal support base of the Congress, some party leaders from the community have complained that the NCP, which heads the social welfare department, was running away with the credit for various social welfare initiatives.
Apart from reservations for the SC/ST entrepreneurs, Gandhi has also demanded that “the budget allocation for the SC/ST communities should be proportionate to their share in the population”.