BJP, JDU eye Kushwaha vote bank, plan lavish birthday bash of Emperor Ashoka

Two major coalition partners in Bihar NDA, BJP, and JD(U) have been making preparations to celebrate the birth anniversary of Mauryan King Ashoka in a big way. Union ministers and UP deputy chief minister are expected to take part in the function organized by Bihar BJP.

Patna: Although, experts and historians say great figure like Mauryan King Ashoka whose contribution to the society was immense could not confined to caste or community. But, in Bihar caste-based vote bank politics is predominant and political parties in the state use the caste equations to garner votes in their favor.

It was often said that Mauryan King Ashoka belonged to the Kushwaha community and the ratio of this caste in Bihar is 5 percent. Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) has a firm grip over Kurmi and Kushwaha's vote bank. The national president of the JDU parliamentary board, Upendra Kushwaha, has been celebrating the birth anniversary of Emperor Ashoka under the banner of Samata Parishad for long. Now, the saffron party has thrown its hat in the ring to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Mauryan King in a grand manner at Bapu Sabhagar (auditorium) in Patna. Besides, Samrat Choudhary who is a Bihar minister on BJP quota, under whose leadership the saffron party has been organizing the birth anniversary of the Mauryan King.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JDU always staked its claim on Kurmi and Kushwaha vote bank. But, several Kushwaha leaders later left JDU camp. Hence the party's grip over the Kushwaha vote bank weakened. In order to consolidate Kushwaha vote, JDU paved the way for several leaders belonging to this community to join the party during 2020 Bihar assembly elections. Among them was Upendra Kushwaha.

Now, the BJP is eyeing Kushwaha vote. Former Bihar minister Shakuni Choudhary's son Samrat Choudhary was inducted into BJP and also made minister for grabbing Kushwaha vote. JDU leader Upendra Kushwaha and BJP's Samrat Choudhary belonged to this community and they have firm control over Kushwaha vote bank. Political analyst Professor Ajay Jha said, vote bank politics in Bihar is not a new thing and Kushwaha were associating themselves with Mauryan King since long. The contribution of King Ashoka was immense. Hence, main ruling parties in Bihar through the birth anniversary celebrations are trying to influence voters.