BJP brings quota for poor into play in Bihar

PATNA: In the caste-ruled political battlefield of Bihar, BJP has picked up the upper caste quota as its most potent weapon to take on the mighty Yadavs.

The united upper castes, which makes about 12-15% of the electorate, has the potential to counter RJD’s strong support base among Yadavs, constituting about 15% of voters. BJP is using the 10% reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category to mobilise these votes.

The quota Bill is expected to address the discontent among the upper castes fuelled by the amendment Bill to restore provisions of the SC/ST Act. “BJP had to face embarrassing comments after the SC/ST Act amendment was passed by Parliament. The EWS quota has come as a sigh of relief for BJP in Bihar,” a party source said.


While the BJP-led NDA zeroes in on the upper castes, most backward classes (MBC) or the non-Yadav other backward classes (OBCs) and SC voters, its main rival RJD and its allies are trying to foray into JDU’s MBC vote bank, keeping its Muslim-Yadav stronghold intact.

The state government decision to follow the central model for the 10% EWS quota has come as a shot in the arm for BJP in wooing the upper caste voters.

“While other states implemented it through executive order, Bihar has decided to implement 10% reservation for EWS through a Bill. The Bill will be tabled in the budget session of the assembly beginning February 11,” JDU spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told ET.

In Bihar, the upper castes comprise Brahmins, Kshatriyas or Thakurs and Bhumihars. They are significant in constituencies like Begusarai, Buxar, Patliputra, Munger, Karakat, Madhepura, Muzaffarpur and Aurangabad. It would, however, be hard for BJP to polarise the upper caste votes in its favour without affecting the JDU support base in ati-pichchara or non-Yadav OBCs, at the ground level.

BJP has devised a strategy by create clusters of constituencies. One such cluster accommodates Ujiyarpur, Begusarai, Khagaria and Samastipur Lok Sabha seats, which have a good population of MBC voters. Union home minister Rajnath Singh will address booth workers in this belt on February 9. His presence will help it keep its upper caste support base intact.

Similarly, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister and BJP’s OBC face Keshav Prasad Maurya will address booth workers in the cluster covering Chhapara, Siwan, Gopalganj and Maharajganj, which is a Thakur stronghold.

RJD, on the other hand, is targeting the consolidated OBC votes in line with the 2015 assembly polls, when Nitish Kumarled JDU was part of the grand alliance, with demand to raise the OBC quota. It has launched a campaign, Berojgari Hatao, Aarakashan Badhao (end unemployment, raise reservations), to promote the Mandal politics. “In Bihar, reservation is a sensitive issue. Opposition parties, particularly RJD, is spreading misinformation about NDA that it has given 10% reservation to the upper castes which is 15% of the population in the state,” a source in Bihar BJP said. “We are highlighting the 10% EWS reservation as one among the central government’s many achievements. BJP is careful about its image as a party of upper castes in the state.”