In its efforts to maintain power in Haryana, the BJP is reaching out to various OBC castes to gain their support, in addition to its traditional backing from Brahmins, Baniyas, and Punjabis. This outreach comes as the ruling party deals with the electoral fallout from farmer and athlete protests, opposition to the Agnipath scheme, and the consolidation of the Jat community, which is the largest caste group in Haryana. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who has overseen several assembly elections for the BJP, including in Uttar Pradesh, has been holding private meetings with caste leaders in areas where specific castes are significantly represented. The OBC groups in Haryana consist of the Pal, Kashyap, Khati, Kumhar, Nai, Gurjar, and Ahir communities. During these meetings, the BJP has emphasized that it has appointed an OBC chief minister, Nayab Saini, offered more tickets to OBC candidates than the Congress, and implemented various measures for the benefit of the backward community. Rakesh Kamboj, an OBC BJP worker from Kurukshetra who participated in one of these meetings, noted that such gatherings have helped the party build momentum ahead of the elections.
