Nitish back in NDA fold, caste census finds no mention in Bihar campaign

Aksheev Thakur

Patna, May 11

Till last year, both the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Grand Alliance in Bihar were trying to own the caste-based survey in which it was revealed that the Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) were the largest social block in the state at 36.1 per cent of the population.

Based on it, the Grand Alliance government with JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar as the CM announced a hike in reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and EBCs from 50 per cent to 65 per cent.

However, with the return of Kumar back into the NDA in January, the demand for caste census, which was a major poll plank for the Opposition, has been put on the back burner. While former Deputy CM of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav has been raising the issue of price rise, migration and unemployment, JD(U) has been relying on the Modi factor and reminding the voters of the tenure of RJD marred with crime and corruption.

On the ground, the caste census also does not seem to be resonating with the people in Bihar. Since the beginning of the campaign for Lok Sabha poll, neither Kumar nor Yadav have mentioned the caste survey.

“Darbhanga has a lot of Muslim and Brahmin voters. We are just reminding the voters about the misrule of RJD in the 1990s and how India under PM Narendra Modi became a safe haven. This seems to be resonating with the voters in Bihar,” said a JD(U) leader in Darbhanga.

Arvind Kumar, who drives an autorickshaw in Darbhanga, said, “We want to vote for Modi. Kumar has done flip flops in the past. So we do not trust him any longer. However, Modi is the unifying factor. His labharthi (beneficiary) schemes, free rations and Ayushman health cards have benefitted all. If we are getting food, why should we choose anybody else.”