BJP’s SC/ST Lok Sabha MPs took part in fewer debates than House average and party peers

Days after Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asking for more floor time for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe MPs from the ruling NDA coalition, an analysis reveals that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs elected from SC and ST seats have taken part in fewer Lok Sabha debates than the House average and than their own party colleagues.

Also Read: Jitan Ram Manjhi says SC/ST MPs not given enough time to speak in Parliament

An analysis of the PRS Legislative Research’s MP Track data, from June 24, 2024, to August 23, 2026, by The Hindu reveals that the 24 BJP MPs from SC seats averaged 14.67 debates. This data excludes six Ministers from SC/ST constituencies. The 22 MPs from ST seats averaged 13.05. Together, the 46 MPs averaged 13.89, against 21.53 for all 483 sitting MPs. Party colleagues from other seats did more. The 145 BJP MPs outside SC and ST seats averaged 19.68.

Compared with all BJP MPs elected on non-reserved seats, SC-seat BJP MPs averaged 4.14 fewer debates (14.67 against 18.80). ST-seat BJP MPs averaged 5.92 fewer (13.05 against 18.96).

The 42-year-old Mahendra Singh Solanky, elected for a second time from Dewas, is the only one among the 46 MPs who has not participated in any debate. Nine are above the House average, with BJP MP from Palamau, Vishnu Dayal Ram, leading with 44 debates and Hemant Vishnu Savara of Palghar a close second with 43.

The pattern is not limited to the BJP. Across all parties, SC-seat MPs averaged 18.22 debates compared with 22.15 for others, and ST-seat MPs averaged 17.67 against 21.91. 

The principal Opposition party Congress also recorded a gap, with MPs from SC seats averaging 19 against 23.38 for party peers. Congress MPs from ST seats averaged 24.42, above the 22.22 of their peers.

In his letter dated September 16, Mr. Manjhi referred to an ‘NDA sansad samooh samvaad baithak’ (NDA MP group dialogue meeting) held at his residence on August 5. He said BJP Lok Sabha MP Gajendra Singh Patel, who represents Khargone, a reserved tribal constituency in Madhya Pradesh, had pointed out that MPs from SC/ST communities were not being given adequate time to speak during discussions on important Bills in Parliament. Mr. Manjhi urged the Speaker to take steps to rectify the situation.