Congress names Baijnath Kushwaha as MP OBC Dept chief ahead of 2028 polls
Synopsis
With the Madhya Pradesh High Court having struck down the 27 per cent OBC quota law, Congress has reshuffled its state OBC Department leadership — appointing former Sabalgarh MLA Baijnath Kushwaha as chairman — in a clear bid to shore up its backward-class credentials ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
Key Takeaways
Congress has appointed former Sabalgarh MLA Baijnath Kushwaha as chairman of its OBC Department in Madhya Pradesh , replacing Siddharth Kushwaha .
Rajendra Mandaloi (Bhopal) and Pawan Patel (Satna) named as vice-chairpersons of the state OBC Department.
Appointments approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and announced by general secretary K.C.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently struck down the 2019 law raising OBC quota from 14% to 27% , restoring the original quota.
The reshuffle is widely seen as part of Congress's outreach strategy ahead of the 2028 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections .
The Indian National Congress has appointed former Sabalgarh MLA Baijnath Kushwaha as chairman of its Other Backward Classes (OBC) Department in Madhya Pradesh, replacing sitting Satna MLA Siddharth Kushwaha. The appointments, approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and announced by party general secretary K.C. Venugopal, take effect immediately.
Key Appointments
Alongside Baijnath Kushwaha's elevation as state OBC Department chairman, the party has named Rajendra Mandaloi from Bhopal and Pawan Patel from Satna as vice-chairpersons. The official communication stated that all appointments were approved by the Congress president with immediate effect.
Who Is Baijnath Kushwaha
Baijnath Kushwaha represented the Sabalgarh Assembly constituency in Morena district from 2018 to 2023, winning the seat on a Congress ticket in the 2018 Assembly elections. He lost to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sarla Rawat in the 2023 polls. His political career dates back to 1984, when he entered student politics. He subsequently worked with the Bahujan Samaj Party before joining the Congress in 2014, and has also served as a general secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).
The OBC Reservation Backdrop
The organisational reshuffle comes at a charged moment for OBC politics in Madhya Pradesh. The Madhya Pradesh High Court recently struck down a 2019 law — introduced by the then Congress government led by Kamal Nath — that raised OBC reservation in government jobs and educational institutions from 14 per cent to 27 per cent. The court restored the original 14 per cent quota and directed the state to fill 13 per cent of posts that had been kept on hold under the disputed arrangement from the unreserved category within three months. The additional 13 per cent reservation had remained tied up in legal proceedings since its introduction.
Political Stakes Ahead of 2028
OBC communities constitute a significant section of the Madhya Pradesh electorate, making reservation and political representation central to both Congress and BJP strategies. The party's decision to reshuffle its OBC Department leadership signals a deliberate push to consolidate its outreach among backward classes well ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. Both Congress and the ruling BJP have sought to position themselves as champions of OBC rights, turning social justice into one of the state's most contested political battlegrounds. This appointment is part of that larger contest for community trust and electoral credibility.
Point of View
The party is trying to claim moral ownership of the reservation cause even as its signature policy lies in judicial limbo. What is notable, though, is that the BJP faces the same credibility problem: the 27 per cent quota remained unimplemented through its own tenure in power. With both parties having a patchy record on delivering the quota, the 2028 campaign will likely hinge on who convinces OBC voters that their intent is genuine — and that contest has quietly begun today in Bhopal.
NationPress
5 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has Congress appointed as its OBC Department chairman in Madhya Pradesh?
Congress has appointed former Sabalgarh MLA Baijnath Kushwaha as chairman of its OBC Department in Madhya Pradesh, replacing sitting Satna MLA Siddharth Kushwaha. The appointment was approved by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with immediate effect.
Why is the OBC Department appointment significant in Madhya Pradesh right now?
The appointment comes shortly after the Madhya Pradesh High Court struck down the 2019 law that had raised OBC reservation from 14 per cent to 27 per cent, restoring the original quota. With OBC communities forming a large section of the state electorate and the 2028 Assembly elections approaching, the Congress is reorganising its backward-class outreach machinery.
What is the background of Baijnath Kushwaha?
Baijnath Kushwaha represented the Sabalgarh constituency in Morena district as a Congress MLA from 2018 to 2023, losing the seat to BJP's Sarla Rawat in the 2023 polls. He entered politics through student movements in 1984, later worked with the Bahujan Samaj Party, and joined Congress in 2014.
What did the Madhya Pradesh High Court rule on OBC reservation?
The court struck down the 2019 Kamal Nath government law that raised OBC reservation in government jobs and educational institutions from 14 per cent to 27 per cent. It restored the 14 per cent quota and directed the state to fill the 13 per cent of posts kept on hold from the unreserved category within three months.
Who else was appointed in the Congress OBC Department reshuffle?
Rajendra Mandaloi from Bhopal and Pawan Patel from Satna were appointed as vice-chairpersons of the Madhya Pradesh Congress OBC Department, alongside Baijnath Kushwaha's appointment as chairman.
