BJP banks on caste coalition in Bihar state polls |
The Bharatiya Janata Party is counting on the support of a rainbow coalition of castes including the Dalits, to ensure the return of the National Democratic Alliance to power in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. The party has allocated 50% of seats to contestants from the so-called non-upper castes, which is a reinforcement of its acceptance across caste groups. The party has also fielded 51 candidates from the Kayastha, Rajput, Bhumihar, and Brahmin communities who belong to the upper castes that are traditionally considered BJP supporters. With former chief minister Jitin Ram Manjhi`s Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Vikassheel Insaan Party joining the NDA, which already has chief minister Nitish Kumar`s Janata Dal (United) among its constituents,the BJP believes the alliance has an appeal cutting across caste lines. Meanwhile, opposition party Congress released the list of its 70 candidates which were upper-caste dominated. But the grand old party has given a good share of tickets to Dalits and Muslims, in a bid to win back its traditional mixed vote bank in the state. The party has fielded 33 upper castes, of which Bhumihar are 11, Brahmin and Rajputs nine each, and Kayasthas four. The party has also given tickets to 13 Dalits and 12 Muslims in the state. While Muslims account for around 16.9% of Bihar population, the state has a Dalit population of 16%. As constituents of the Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is fighting on 144 seats, Congress 70, and the Left parties on 29.
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