Patna (Bihar): Whatever strategies political parties in Uttar Pradesh are gearing up for ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, the issue of caste politics and development is ready to be questioned in connection with the victory of UP in Bihar. If we talk about the present condition, the politics in Bihar is such that apart from caste politics, there is no talk about development. In Bihar, HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi and VIP's Mukesh Sahni are making vocal statements on caste politics, which their allies now are finding it exasperating.
In Bihar, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) supremo Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahni, popularly known as 'Son of Mallah', have become two such names in caste politics who have not been able to make equal space with the politics of Nitish and Lalu, but their statements in the political discussion are not even denied. However, the structure of caste politics in Bihar has witnessed a lot of changes.
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Dalit Politics in Bihar
If we go through pages of history, Bihar became the first state in the country to pass the Zamindari Abolition Act. After this, there was hope that the path of social and economic progress of the downtrodden sections of the society would open up in Bihar, but the situation did not change. In the late 60s, Bhola Paswan Shastri became the Chief Minister of Bihar, the first Dalit Chief Minister of the country. In 1977, Babu Jagjivan Ram of Bihar became the Deputy Prime Minister of the country. Yet there has been no improvement in the social and economic condition of the Scheduled Castes of Bihar, nor could they make any political identity of their own.
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At present, the problem of labourers in recent times has raised a new possibility of the Dalit movement in Bihar. Jitan Ram Manjhi, having served as the Chief Minister for about eight months, was busy trying to become the face of Mahadalit. While Nitish Kumar played a big Dalit game by making Jitan Ram Manjhi the CM, it led to the latter's rebellion. HAM supremo Manjhi also formed a separate party claiming that he has a Dalit vote bank of up to 22 percent, thereby mounting pressure on other parties in Bihar over politics of caste. Meanwhile, ethnic groups have emerged strongly in UP and Bihar, with people being mobilized by their caste resulting in many votes being split. To gain the advantage of this caste politics in UP, mobilization is being done from Bihar.
UP-Bihar a fertile land for caste politics
If we talk about the castes in UP-Bihar - Brahmin, Kshatriya, High Baniya and Kayastha are included. These are the castes that usually have their own candidates. Secondly - Yadav, Kurmi, Lodh, Koiri, Jatav and Khatik. These castes can be called upper castes of OBC and SC, and they have been in power for about 3 decades, which led to the OBC and SC-ST castes turn jealous. Thirdly- Nishad, Rajbhar, Kachi, Kewat, Carpenter, Blacksmith follow. They are represented by SP, BSP, RJD and JDU. Their dream is to see one of their own candidates be the CM and have rallied behind independent leaders. Hence, Bihar is termed as a fertile land of political farming for Manjhi and Sahni.
It is known that the political parties in Bihar had completely prepared the ground to contest the elections in Bengal. Along with the NDA alliance, HAM, JDU and VIP were fully set for the battle, but the BJP did not give them a chance. Now when the politics of Uttar Pradesh is moving towards the war of power, in such a situation, the ambition of select political parties has also increased due to caste politics. In this context, Manjhi and Sahni are busy preparing for the Uttar Pradesh elections.
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It is also being discussed that Bihar NDA's strong presence in West Bengal politics is believed to be certain. Also, speculations were rife that BJP would definitely take Nitish Kumar in the elections of West Bengal, but in the changed political situation, BJP did not give any place to the allies of Bihar NDA, JDU, Hindustani Awam Morcha and VIP. The election of Uttar Pradesh affects the politics of the country. In such a situation, being the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, the political parties of Bihar assume that their politics will definitely have an effect on UP. NDA constituents have started putting pressure on this issue. If BJP accepts any talk of pressure politics with Nitish Kumar, then it will also benefit those political parties who consider caste mobilization in politics as their cadre will vote only for their caste. This has always been a subject of controversy for the Bihar NDA.
UP Panchayat elections have changed the situation
The results of the Panchayat elections held in Uttar Pradesh gave a result contrary to the direction of Yogi's government in Uttar Pradesh. In Purvanchal, Samajwadi Party got more seats than BJP, in which Akhilesh Yadav's caste played a crucial role. This is the reason why Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahni are ready to go into the politics of Uttar Pradesh. Their intention behind this is that even though they may not have land and mass base in the Uttar Pradesh elections, they have nothing to lose either. However, to get it, caste definitely plays a big role, which in Uttar Pradesh comprises 16 per cent extremely backward and 14 per cent of the Mallah caste. In a way, this is beneficial for Jitan Ram Manjhi and Mukesh Sahni.
Assembly elections are to be held in Uttar Pradesh in 2022, for which the political exercise has already begun. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Home Minister Amit Shah on June 11 and gave information about the politics of Uttar Pradesh. On the same day, Lalu Yadav's elder son Tej Pratap met Manjhi and discussed the political situation in the state.
