With the Bihar Assembly Elections around the corner, the going gets tough for the BJP, the major ally in the ruling NDA. The traditional vote bank of the party, the Brahmin community, is disillusioned with the party and is exploring options, and internal party surveys reveal this could have a major impact during the elections.
As per the caste survey conducted by the BJP in 2023, upper castes constitute 15.22 per cent of the state population, of which over 3.66 per cent are Brahmins. Rajputs are second (3.45%), followed by Bhumihars (2.86%).
However, the upper caste is disappointed by the way the BJP neglected their community in ticket distribution and representation. They feel the BJP secured their votes but didn’t give them proper political representation, according to local media reports.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave only 11 tickets to the Brahmin community in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections. Of these, seven were Brahmins from Bhojpur and Magadh, and four were Maithil Brahmin candidates. Mithila is considered a BJP stronghold, and all four Maithil Brahmin candidates won the elections. However, only one candidate was successful in Bhojpur and Magadh. Other castes fared better within the upper caste community. The BJP fielded 15 candidates from the Bhumihar community, eight of whom won. Of the 21 candidates from the Rajput community, 18 were successful, and all three candidates from the Kayastha community won. This suggests that the Brahmin community received relatively fewer tickets, while other upper castes were more represented.
As for the party, they assumed the Brahmins would stay with them forever. The only potential competitor for the votes was the RJD, and the party could keep the upper caste at its side, invoking the fear of the Lalu-Rabri regime.
However, the equation has changed with the entry of Jan Suraj Party. The internal survey conducted showed that the upper castes are considering the Jan Suraj Party. Certain sections of the Brahmin community now feel Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraj Party could represent them more.
Though Kishor’s has been vocal about moving beyond caste-based politics, removing caste equation from electoral battle is out of question in Bihar. For the same reason, Kishor’s upper-caste background may find a support base among Brahmins.
The community might also want to regain its lost glory in the state - Bihar had five Brahmin chief ministers before the Mandal era - and could see Kishor as a vehicle for that. His focus on moving beyond caste and stress on systemic issues rather than caste-based mobilisation may also attract educated and urban Brahmins.