Members of Kurmi Vikas Morcha at a news conference in Ranchi on Sunday. Telegraph picture

Ranchi, Oct. 26: Kurmi Vikas Morcha, a socio-political outfit comprising members of Kurmi caste, has decided to use the five-phase Assembly polls beginning on November 25 as an opportunity to garner support for their long-pending demand for inclusion of the community in the list of the Scheduled Tribes.

Sheetal Ohdar, president of the Kurmi Vikas Morcha, said there was a sizeable Kurmi population in at least 23 out of the 81 Assembly constituencies of Jharkhand.

“The members of the community will campaign in these 23 Assembly segments to ensure the victory of Kurmi candidates. Only a significant number of Kurmis in the state Assembly, irrespective of their political affiliations, will help strengthen our demand for a tribal status,” Ohdar said at the end of a general body meeting of the outfit at a city hotel in Ranchi today.

Khijri, Tamar, Kharsawan, Chakradharpur, Seraikela and Manoharpur seats, which are reserved for tribals, have a high density of Kurmi population.

Further, Kurmi members comprise at least 50 per cent of the total population in 18 other seats, which are classified under the general category.

These seats are Hatia, Silli, Ichagarh, Baharagora, Ramgarh, Barkagaon, Mandu, Gomia, Bermo, Dumri, Tundi, Baghmara, Sindri, Bagodar, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Mahagama and Poraiyahat.

“In all these constituencies, our cadres will work to ensure victory of Kurmi candidates. It does not matter which political party field these candidates. If there are more than one Kurmi candidate, we shall support the one who extends support to our cause,” Ohdar said.

He alleged that Kurmis had been victims of a deep-rooted conspiracy.

“Till 1931, we were treated as tribes. But later we were de-listed on the recommendation of a section of affluent Kurmi leaders from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Since the creation of Jharkhand in 2000, we have been fighting for a tribal status for Kurmis but in vain. We will no longer take the apathy lying down,” he stressed.