Bihar polls: Why Nitish Kumar's caste survey was a political masterstroke
Nitish Kumar
has defied political gravity, fractured mandates and bitter rivals in Bihar to serve as the chief minister of the state. Nitish has remained the pivot around which Bihar's politics has revolved in the last 20 years.
This despite the fact that his party Janata Dal (United) has never won a full majority in the state assembly.
Nitish Kumar has alternated between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) camps at least six times since 1999 earning the dubious distinction of being called the "Paltu Kumar" of Bihar politics.
Nitish was with the BJP-led NDA from 1999 to 2013 before switching to the UPA in 2015.
In 2017, he returned to the NDA, only to realign with the UPA again in 2022. A year later, he joined the INDIA bloc, but by 2024, he had once again rejoined the NDA.
Ironically, despite these political manoeuvres, Nitish is still courted by every major political force in Bihar. The question then arises: what makes Nitish Kumar indispensable?
Nitish Kumar belongs to the Kurmi caste, which makes up only 3 per cent of Bihar's population.
In the initial stages of his political career, Nitish backed heavily on 'Luv-Kush' (Kurmi-Kushwaha) support and was recognised as their undisputed leader. Nitish also focussed on development agenda and gained popularity with several of his pro-women policies like prohibition.
But over a period of time, Nitish realised that to have an edge over either the RJD or the BJP, he needed to broaden his support base. So, the JD(U) chief made a conscious effort to weave his support base around the entire EBC community by modelling his politics on Karpoori Thakur's ideals and putting a special focus on the economically weaker section.
Nitish gradually placed himself as the "poster boy" of the Extremely Backward Class, which constitutes the largest portion of the population in Bihar.
By announcing the caste survey in 2023, Nitish rebooted his politics and claimed his "social justice" credentials. Also through the survey, Nitish formally proclaimed his vote bank, making sure that he or his party cannot be pushed to the margins.
Political analyst Kumar Vijay, who has followed politics in Bihar closely for several years, believes that the caste survey was undertaken to project Nitish Kumar as the leader of largest chunk of Bihar's population.
"I firmly believe the caste survey was meant to project Nitish Kumar as the leader of the largest segment of Bihar's population and not just a Luv-Kush leader.The exercise was also a reminder to the RJD that Nitish commands a broader voter base — around 36 per cent — compared to Lalu Prasad Yadav's MY (Muslim-Yadav) support base, which accounts for about 32 per cent," Vijay said.
"Building a voter base across 122 castes is not easy.
Nitish has introduced several schemes and programs targeting these communities to consolidate his position," he added.
Further, Vijay said that it would be interesting to see how the Muslim voters within the EBS community will vote in the upcoming elections.
"Interestingly, Nitish has also been the only NDA leader with some traction among Muslim voters. However, with the recent passage of the new Waqf laws, it remains to be seen how this development might impact his support among the community," he said.
The caste survey found out that there were 122 castes among the EBCs in the state. If the 10 percent Muslim EBCs are discounted, 26 percent is believed to be the strong supporters of Nitish.
How the numbers add up
Now, let's analyse how JD(U) performed in the 2020 assembly elections. Even though it was the party's worst performance since 2000, JD(U) still managed to secure 32.83% of the vote in the 115 seats it contested, even when both his ally, the BJP, and the opposition, led by the RJD, weren't exactly in his corner.
This shows Nitish Kumar's loyal voter base that has largely stuck with him. If the Luv-Kush voters (about 7% Kurmis and Koeris) are combined with the 26% non-Muslim EBCs, the math adds up to 33%.
Since 2004, Nitish has filled the lacunae of a leader in the EBC community by starting a host of schemes especially targeting the EBCs, such as the Student Credit Card scheme, scholarship schemes from primary classes, school uniforms, free textbooks, vocational training, and housing and employment schemes.
Challenges ahead
However, in these elections, Nitish Kumar appears to be facing a challenge in the form of Chirag Paswan. Union minister Chirag has recently announced that his party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), will contest all 243 seats in Bihar.
This could be a serious matter of concern for Nitish, as the LJP's vote bank, like that of the JDU, also lies among the EBCs and Scheduled Castes.
This election will serve as a litmus test for Nitish's hold over the EBC vote bank and his projection as their poster boy — more so, in light of his reported health issues, which the opposition has repeatedly raised.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
19 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
RG Kar victim's mother released from hospital; family alleges political pressure
Kolkata: The mother of the trainee doctor raped and murdered on August 9, 2024 at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was released from a private hospital in the city on Sunday after being treated for a head injury she suffered the day before when police stopped a citizens' rally held to seek justice for her daughter. Members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) protest in Kolkata on Sunday (PTI Photo)(PTI) "The doctors treated my wife but the hospital did not admit her as a patient. The doctors said they were under political pressure. Also, the medical report the hospital tried to give me today did not mention that my wife was hit with batons by the police. I have sought the correct report," the trainee doctor's father told the media. "When we took my wife to the hospital, use of batons was mentioned as the cause of injury in a report the hospital staff wrote in front of me. But they changed the paper and wrote that my wife was injured in an accident during the rally," he said. "This is a medico-legal document. A hearing on our appeal (in the RG Kar Hospital case) is scheduled to be held at the Calcutta high court on Monday. Our lawyer will raise this issue," he added. Senior counsel Phiroze Edulji, who is representing the family in court, visited the private hospital on Sunday but refused to comment on his plans. The hospital authorities did not make any statement till Sunday evening even as the matter triggered a political row. Bharatiya Janata Party's Sukanta Majumdar, a Union minister of state, raised the same allegation after visiting the injured woman. "I have come to know that the hospital authorities are under severe political pressure. That's why they did not show the RG Kar victim's mother as an admitted patient in their records," Majumdar said. The Trinamool Congress denied the charge. "There was no pressure on the hospital from the government or any party. These are blatant lies. The hospital authorities did not even want to treat the woman saying it was not necessary but a senior BJP leader used his influence," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said. "Why will policemen assault her? The police were there to protect the family. The woman fell on the road because a BJP leader with a shaved head pushed her aside to show his face on television channels," Ghosh added. Although Ghosh did not take any name, his allegation was pointed at BJP's Kustav Bagchi who was escorting the couple during Saturday's rally. "Ghosh can make up any story he wants. The RG Kar victim's parents are like my family. Ask them what happened," Bagchi, who is also a high court lawyer, said. "When a person with an unnatural injury is treated, it is mandatory for the hospital to inform the police. This was not done," he added. The injured woman's husband, too, dismissed Ghosh's allegation. "Bagchi was walking with us. He went ahead of my wife to protect her. She was assaulted with batons by some female police personnel," he said. Kolkata police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma visited the state-run SSKM Hospital to inquire about the condition of some police personnel who were allegedly assaulted by BJP workers on Saturday. "It is regrettable that the RG Kar victim's mother got injured. Whether they lodge a complaint or not, it is our duty to find out what happened. We are examining footage from all security cameras, surveillance drones and body cameras worn by policemen," Verma said. Seven first information reports (FIRs) were registered at two police police stations against several BJP leaders and MLAs including Agnimitra Paul and Ashok Dinda. "If the victim's mother can be beaten up it is nothing unnatural that the police will lodge false cases against us," Paul said. Thousands of citizens, workers of Left parties and BJP workers led by Suvendu Adhikari hit the streets of Kolkata on Saturday demanding justice for the post-graduate trainee doctor a year after her death. Police stopped the rally to Nabanna, the state secretariat in Howrah district, citing a recent Calcutta high court order which said public property could not be damaged during any rally. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were clamped in the entire area around Nabanna, banning public assembly or rally in any form. A spot near Santragachi bus stand in Howrah and Rani Rashmoni Avenue in Kolkata were earmarked for the rally but the crowd tried to break the steel barricades and move ahead. This triggered a clash. A year ago, the body of the 31-year-old victim was found in the seminar room on the third floor of the emergency building of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on the morning of August 9. On August 10, the Kolkata Police arrested Sanjay Roy, a 34-year-old civic volunteer who worked for the city police. Amid a nation-wide furore, junior doctors at all state-run hospitals started an agitation accusing the state administration of shielding the real culprits. On August 13, 2024, the Calcutta high court ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the case from the Kolkata Police. The parents of the victim have stuck to their allegation that Roy, who was sentenced to imprisonment for the rest of his natural life in January, was not the sole perpetrator of the crime.
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Prioritise Bharat's needs, PM Modi tells tech companies
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills India's next big priority should be becoming self-reliant in technology, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, amid growing concerns over US tariffs.'While Indian tech companies have made a mark globally, developing software and products for the entire world, it is time to prioritise India's own needs,' the PM said, speaking in Bengaluru after inaugurating a new metro rail line in the must accelerate the development of new products, especially as software and apps are now being used across every domain, he address comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has slapped a 50% tariff on India, half of that for New Delhi's decision to continue imports of Russian PM also called for efforts to lead in emerging fields and strengthen the country's manufacturing sector. He urged Indian firms to build indigenous products that meet the 'zero defect, zero effect' standard, or non-defective in quality and with no negative impact on the the contribution of indigenous technology in protecting Indian borders, the PM said the success of Operation Sindoor was due to the power of also acknowledged Bengaluru's tech contribution to the said India's capability to destroy terrorist hideouts deep across the border had forced Pakistan, which came to defend the terrorists, to its knees within hours. 'The entire world has witnessed this new face of New India,' the PM added that India is investing in AI-powered threat detection to ensure that the digital revolution benefits every at the inauguration in the presence of industry leaders like Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, cofounder S Gopalakrishnan, MP Sudha Murty, Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, Modi said India is the fastest-growing major economy and is moving towards 'global AI leadership' with projects like the India AI Mission and the Semiconductor Mission. He said the country will soon have its own Made-in-India chip , with Bengaluru playing a key said India has become a global example of low-cost, high-tech space missions. 'The country is moving ahead in all areas of new technology, and the most important part of this progress is that it is helping the poor,' he noted that in the last 11 years, India's economy has risen from the 10th spot to the top five in the world and is on track to become one of the top three. Modi said under the BJP government, India is now among the top five exporters of mobile handsets. 'Before 2014, India's total exports were $468 billion; today that number is $824 billion."The PM said Indian cities must prepare for the future and stressed that in the 21st century, urban planning and urban infrastructure are critical needs for our cities. He said progress will come only when Indian cities are smart, fast, and efficient, with a focus on completing modern infrastructure also pointed out that a new campaign is gaining momentum with the Bangalore Metro introducing a new model for public infrastructure development in the country. He said companies like Infosys, Biocon and Delta Electronics have provided part-funding for several key metro stations, calling the effort 'innovative use of CSR'.PM Modi called for greater collaboration between the central and state governments, saying all were committed to serving the people and improving their lives. He added that over the past decade, the central government has consistently advanced reforms. He cited the Jan Vishwas Bill, which decriminalised several laws, and announced the upcoming Jan Vishwas 2.0. Modi urged state governments to also identify and remove outdated laws with unnecessary criminal also drew attention to the Aspirational Districts Programme and the Aspirational Block Programme, calling on states to similarly focus on areas that need targeted development.
The Hindu
19 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Injury to R.G. Kar victim's mother regrettable, says Kolkata Police Commissioner, promises probe
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma on Sunday (August 10, 2025) said the injury to mother of the doctor who was raped and murdered at the R.G. Kar Hospital and Medical College a year ago was regrettable and should not have happened. 'The injury to mother [of R.G. Kar victim] is regrettable. On the allegations that the injury was sustained in police action, we are investigating the matter,' the Police Commissioner said. Mr. Verma made these remarks after meeting police personnel injured during Nabanna Abhiyaan on Saturday. Five police personnel had sustained injuries during the protests called by the parents to mark one year of the horrific crime. The Commissioner said the mother could lodge a complaint which the police would investigate. 'Even if we do not receive a complaint, we [Kolkata Police] will investigate on our own initiative. The investigation has already started,' Mr. Verma said. He added that police would look at footage from cameras, drone and body cameras and would investigate the allegations made by the mother. The mother of the victim had sustained injuries on the forehead during the protest march on Saturday, which, she claimed were sustained during an assault by the police. The parents had given a call for march to Nabanna on August 9 (Saturday) to mark one year of rape and murder of their daughter on August 9, 2024. 'Pressure from govt.' The father of the victim alleged that that the hospital authorities did not want to admit the mother who had sustained injuries on Saturday due to 'pressure' from the State government. A statement by the hospital said the patient's vital parameters were stable. The hospital said all clinical protocols were strictly followed. Later in the day, the mother of R.G. Kar victim was discharged from the hospital. BJP leader and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, who met the mother at the private hospital, said she had told him that she sustained injuries during a baton charge by the police. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Police registered seven FIRs in connection with the protest march on Saturday. The FIRs registered against MLAs Ashok Dinda and Agnimitra Paul and Kaustab Bagchi charged that they obstructed and threatened police officers on duty. Reacting to the FIRs, Ms. Agnimitra Paul said the Kolkata Police would have several drone cameras and they should put footage in public domain that the BJP leaders had attacked police personnel and destroyed government property. 'If the police can attack the parents of Abhaya (the R.G. Kar victim) then it is natural that the police will put false cases against us,' she said. Meanwhile, the police served a notice on doctors for participating in the protest march for which permission was not given.
