The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the principal Opposition party in Odisha, has extended its support to the Narendra Modi government’s decision to hold a caste-based census.

Former chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik wrote on X: “Welcome the decision of the Union Cabinet to include Caste Enumeration in the forthcoming census.”

He said: “BJD has been repeatedly demanding countrywide caste census and removal of 50% cap on reservation. In Odisha, we also took certain concrete steps in 2023 to enumerate the number of people belonging to different classes to help us in making plans for their development and upliftment. The same objectives would now be met by this decision of the Central Government to conduct a caste-based census. We in Biju Janata Dal always stand for special justice especially for backward classes such as ST, SC and OBC.”

In 2021, the BJD submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urged a caste-based census, demanding that a central legislation was required for changes in the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations.

“We had cited several court judgments to convince Shah about the need for a detailed scientific database of the Other Backward Castes (OBC) category to formulate an efficient reservation policy. Only through a caste-based census can a state identify and figure out the exact population of the OBCs. In the absence of authentic data on Socially and Educationally Backwards Class (SEBC) or OBC population, focused welfare programmes for the OBC groups cannot be formulated,” said former minister and BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain.

Senior Congress leader Srikant Jena said that his party had been fighting on the issue for long. “The Modi government was not interested.... After consistent demand from us and NDA allies, the Centre buckled under pressure and agreed on the caste census. But there should be a definite timeline. Bihar and Telangana have already done the caste-based census. The next move should be proportional reservation by eliminating 50 per cent cap and reservation in the private sector.”

The Odisha Pradesh Congress held a victory rally on Wednesday night and distributed sweets to its workers.