Eying votes, Dalit leader seeks quotas for Muslims and upper caste poor

If the upcoming election race in Uttar Pradesh — India's most populous state, and thus a pivotal one — are any indicator, the trend toward offering job-and-education quotas to all and sundry may be set to escalate.

Looking to counter Rahul Gandhi's bid for support from her Dalit vote base, UP Chief Minister Mayawati has written to the prime minister suggesting that "reservations" that presently guarantee university placements and government jobs for Dalits and the so-called "other backward classes" should be extended to Muslims and even poor members of the highest castes, India Today reports.

It appears that before long, every group will be allotted spots in university and government employment according to the census data.