New Delhi: With Assembly elections scheduled in several states next year, the Congress has begun a major outreach initiative aimed at strengthening its support base among Dalits and minorities. The party is seeking to build a broader social coalition by bringing the two communities together through a series of conventions and grassroots programmes across the country.
As part of the strategy, the Congress will organise a joint convention of its Scheduled Caste Department and Minority Department in New Delhi on June 6. Senior party leaders, social activists, intellectuals, artists and civil society representatives are expected to participate in discussions focusing on issues affecting Dalits and minority communities.
AICC Minority Department Chairman and Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi said the initiative stems from what the party perceives as growing challenges faced by Dalits and minorities. According to him, both communities share several common concerns and therefore need a united platform to discuss their issues and seek solutions.
Similarly, AICC Scheduled Caste Department Chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam said the convention would focus on social and economic challenges confronting both groups. He argued that while one community faces discrimination on the basis of religion, the other encounters barriers linked to caste, making a common political and social roadmap necessary.
Following the Delhi event, the Congress plans to hold similar conventions across the country, particularly in poll bound states such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur. Party insiders believe that Dalits and minorities together constitute a significant share of the electorate in these states and could play a decisive role in determining electoral outcomes.
Congress leaders view the initiative as part of a broader effort to consolidate traditional support groups ahead of crucial elections. The party believes that issues related to social justice, constitutional rights, employment and education continue to resonate strongly among these communities.
The outreach programme also comes amid the Congress leadership’s renewed emphasis on minority issues and social justice politics. Party sources indicate that senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have encouraged minority representatives within the organisation to speak more actively on concerns affecting their communities.
Political observers see the move as an attempt by the Congress to rebuild its electoral base and strengthen its position against the BJP in upcoming state elections. Whether the proposed Dalit minority coalition translates into electoral gains will become clearer as the campaign expands across different regions in the months ahead.