But most top politicians of Bihar are products of caste rallies

Patna,(BiharTimes): Though many political leaders, social activists and academics have welcomed the recent Allahabad High Court decision to ban caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh the fact is that many of the leaders who are calling shots in various states are products of these very rallies and raillas.

True Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is the one who now talks much about the inclusive growth with justice, the truth is that it is the first caste rally in the state after the implementation of Mandal Commission report in August 1990, which helped him come into the political limelight of the state politics.
Nitish can never deny his high-profile participation in the Feb 12, 1992 Kurmi Maharally of Patna, which almost made him a challenger to the then champion of this politics, Lalu Prasad Yadav. It was way back in 1992 that Nitish started realizing his strength and by 1994 summer he, with the help of other Janata Dal leaders, split the party to form Samata Party.

Needless to say Lalu Yadav, as the chief minister of the state then, emerged as the hero of the Mandal politics. Flaunting one’s caste was matter of pride in those days of social polarization. Ram Vilas Paswan was not far behind. He too organized several show of strength of Dalits in the state.

The upper castes too were not far behind. In the name of Kuer Singh and Swami Shahjanand the Rajputs and Bhumihars started organizing big shows, though in all practical purposes they were nothing more than flexing the muscle in the name of castes.

However, the era of Mandal gradually subsided. But still whenever these leaders need caste they fully exploit it.

Now they may not organize rallies, but use caste to achieve other goals. For example, Nitish played a very good reservation card to neutralize the monopoly of Lalu. He walked away with an overwhelming percentage of Most Backward Caste votes by giving them 20 per cent reservation in the local bodies. He did wooed the Mahadalits––minus Paswans––to consolidate his political hold over the state politics.
However, this does not mean that politicians are not openly organizing rallies and meetings in the name of caste.

Upendra Kushwaha, who was earlier with Janata Dal (United) went on to form his own Rashtriya Lok Samata Party. He is considered as a powerful leader of Kushwaha caste. In fact Nitish took him to his fold with the sole aim of further consolidating the Koeri votes. However, after a brief stay he once again broke away from the Janata Dal (United).