Hints of changing caste equations are emerging in Bihar as seen during the recently-concluded MLC elections for 24 seats where three of the upper caste candidates of the RJD won and the trend is said to be continued during the polls in Bochahan by-elections as well in Muzaffarpur.
Bhumihars were considered the main pillars of the BJP in Bihar but now their focus is shifting towards the RJD. Now, the Bhumihar-Brahmin Social Front has decided to organise an event in Sri Krishna Memorial Hall in Patna on May 8 to take deliberate on their course of action.
A meeting in this regard was held in the residence of former cabinet minister Veena Shahi in Patliputra colony on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by former minister Suresh Sharma, saw leaders of the front unanimously decide to start a membership campaign from April 23 to May 7 across 38 districts of Bihar.
"We have decided to go with the party which gives respect to our community," Sharma said.
Though, the leaders of the front did not disclose about their stand on going either for the RJD or the BJP but sources have said that people of the Bhumihar caste were backing the BJP in the past but the saffron party has not given due respect to it, and hence, they will go towards Tejashwi Yadav and the RJD.
A top leader of the front said that the saffron party is dominated by the people of the business community and they have sidelined Bhumihars.
Tejashwi Yadav, after the win of three candidates of Bhumihar caste in the MLC election, said that the participation of every caste and communities is increasing in RJD. The RJD, after MY (Muslim-Yadav) equation, it is heading towards achieving BY (Bhumihar-Yadav) equation in Bihar.
"We welcome people of every caste and community in RJD," he said a few days ago.
The BJP is also feeling the heat pertaining to the Bhumihar factor. Hence, it has decided to pay tribute to Veer Kunwar Singh, a freedom fighter of 1857 War of independenced. He was a native of Jagdishpur in Bhojpur district and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is coming to Jagdishpur on April 23 for the event, as per state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal.
Jaiswal appealed to supporters of BJP to go with 75,000 national flags to pay tribute to Veer Kunwar Singh in Jagdishpur in the celebration, organised under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav of the Centre.
Sources said that the BJP tactically chose to pay tribute to Veer Kunwar Singh and give a message to the Bhumihars that Rajputs are with it.
In Bihar, both Bhumihars and Rajputs are considered upper castes, but the population of the former is higher. (AS/IANS)
Keywords: Bihar, Caste, Caste politics, Politics, BJP, RJD, Elections.