Welcome To IANS Live - NATION - KHAM, increase in OBC reservation and polarisation broke Congress backbone in Gujarat
A long term strategy was planned against the Congress party in the late 60s, which was executed in a phased manner to tarnish the party's image and create anti-Congress sentiments. A few steps of the Congress worked against it, like the KHAM (Kshatriya- Harijan- Adivasi- Muslim) political strategy pushed away the Patidars and other upper classes from the Congress. As if this was not enough, a 10 per cent increase in OBC reservation in 1985 added fuel to it, creating a deep schism between the upper castes, urban voters and the Congress, says political analyst Manibhai Patel. The