NEW DELHI: The government is likely to announce a sub-quota of 4% for minorities within the 27% reservation meant for OBCs, in what is being seen as a major political initiative ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls.

According to a note for the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs prepared by the ministry of minority affairs, reservation in government jobs and admission to central educational institutions for minorities would be carried out through an executive order to be effective from January 1, 2012.

Sources said a meeting of the Union Cabinet is expected to be called ahead of Election Commission’s announcement of the schedule for polls in UP and four other states. There are indications that the EC may announce the schedule in the next couple of days. The idea is to announce the measure before the model code of conduct kicks in.

Although the measure will not be limited to Muslims alone but will include all minority groups listed in the central list of OBCs, it could help Congress earn brownie points with the largest of them. An important chunk of the UP electorate, Muslims were an important factor behind the impressive performance Congress pulled off in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in UP when it bagged 21 seats.

For the assembly elections, the party has been locked in a fierce competition with Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party for the Muslim vote, and a ‘minority quota’ may give it an edge.