Copyright indiatoday
Over the years, caste politics has been a major factor in Bihar during elections and has been at the core of various political parties’ strategy to win polls. This time around, it is no different. With the Assembly elections around the corner, there is intense discussion about which alliance the state’s Bhumihar community, who has traditionally supported the BJP, will favour this time with various political parties trying to woo them.Several candidates belonging to the community have been pitted against each other in a Bhumihar versus Bhumihar faceoff, making it an interesting battle to watch out for.With politics peaking right ahead of the crucial polls, various political parties are looking to win over the upper castes as well as the backward classes in their own different ways.The Bhumihar community, an upper caste, has voted overwhelmingly for the BJP over the years. Banking upon the same, the BJP has given tickets to approximately 32 Bhumihar candidates..preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Interestingly, the Mahagathbandhan of the RJD, the Congress and Left parties, have also counted on around 15 Bhumihar candidates.As a result of that, several constituencies are all set to witness Bhumihar versus Bhumihar battles, including in Mokama, Kesua, Barbigha, Begusarai, Matihani, Bikram, and Lakhisarai.The Congress has fielded a Bhumihar candidate, Amresh Anish, against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha. Consequently, constituencies with two Bhumihar candidates have become hot spots in this election.A similar contest is unfolding in Patna's Bikram Assembly constituency, where BJP candidate and sitting MLA Siddharth Saurabh is going to take on Anil Kumar of the Congress, both of whom are Bhumihars.Siddharth Saurabh was formerly a Congress MLA, but he recently jumped the ship to join the BJP. This makes the contest an interesting one, with both sides running a high-energy campaign.While speaking exclusively to IndiaToday TV, the BJP candidate exuded confidence, saying, "A lot of work has been done during the tenure of PM Modi and Nitish Kumar—trauma centers, employment, road construction, and numerous public welfare schemes have been implemented. So, votes are not being sought on the basis of caste, they will be cast in the name of development”.The BJP is leaving no stone unturned in this election, with prominent leaders holding campaign rallies and making the electorate aware about the work done by the Nitish Kumar government.Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan, who is campaigning for NDA candidates, says that votes will be cast on development, not caste.“I have always championed the slogan - Bihar First Bihari First – not any particular caste. Our goal is to focus on the welfare of every Bihari. We are promoting employment, businesses, and factories", the Union Minister said.Meanwhile, NDA supporters believe that the alliance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is synonymous with development and will come out victorious once again, placing faith in the Bhumihar community.The Bhumihar community holds significant political influence in Bihar:Shri Krishna Sinha, the first Chief Minister of Bihar, was a Bhumihar.A caste-based survey in Bihar puts the Bhumihar population at 2.9%.Bhumihars remain politically united.In the 2020 assembly elections, approximately 51 percent of Bhumihars voted for the NDA, while the Grand Alliance received only 19 percent of the vote.To make the Bhumihar versus Bhumihar battle even more interesting in the Bikram Assembly constituency, the candidates have swapped parties.Siddharth Saurabh was once a Congress MLA, but he switched sides to the BJP, while three-time MLA Anil Kumar subsequently joined the Congress after being denied a BJP ticket.He contested the 2020 elections as an independent candidate, garnering 52,000 votes."What I do every day, every year, from morning to evening, is to be with the local people. The people will vote for me,” Anil Kumar hoped.Anil Kumar’s supporter, Chandan, believes that this time, "the NDA's dominance will come to an end, and people will vote for a Bhumihar candidate. In recent elections, the Bhumihar vote has gone with Modi or the BJP, but this time the Mahagathbandhan has also been able to address the issues of Bhumihars".In Congress meetings, discussions are that the Bhumihars may shift loyalty to the Grand Alliance this time.According to Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh, this time the Mahagathbandhan will strengthen its hold in many Bhumihar-dominated seats."Shri Babu was the first and only Bhumihar Chief Minister of Bihar. After him, no Bhumihar became Chief Minister. Bhumihars have both helped win elections and topple governments. They are educated and own land and property. This caste, due to its connection to the land, influences others,” Singh said.“This time, I see that Bhumihars are being given more importance than before by the Mahagathbandhan. Tejashwi Yadav has given tickets to more than half a dozen Bhumihars, so the situation is no longer the same,” he added.Bhumihar voters hold sway in Assembly constituencies, including Bikram, Pali, Jehanabad, Mokama, Munger, Begusarai, Nawada in Bihar, and it is said that whichever side they support wins.The 243-member Bihar Legislative Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11. The counting of votes will be held and results will be announced on November 14.- EndsPublished By: Vivek Published On: Nov 2, 2025
