Are Reserved Constituencies Dalit Centric? Experience from Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

In the state of Uttar Pradesh, Dalits have largely been elected only from the reserved seats, and their representation from non-reserved seats has remained negligible. Apart from ensuring political presence, how do reserved seats impinge on the Dalit politics within the constituency? Who determines the election outcome in the reserved seats? The article argues that in the reserved seats of the State of Uttar Pradesh, Dalit votes remain at best adjunct votes, to the core support base of the respective parties. There is evidence of systemic political backlash from non-Dalit voters against Dalit voters in reserved constituencies. Various parties play a significant role in orchestrating this backlash to help their candidates win. The weak position of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the party of Dalits in the reserved seats, is an indication of such a backlash. This backlash is largely aimed at the dominant Dalit group, the Chamars, who are treated as political untouchables by one and all, across caste and class.