Upper-Caste Hindus Get One in Every Three NDA Tickets in Bihar, Despite Being Just 15% of Population
BJP leads with nearly half its candidates from upper castes; data shows skewed representation across the NDA alliance.
Patna: Recent data reveals that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has given a significantly high number of election tickets to upper-caste Hindu candidates, despite the community making up only around 15% of the state’s population.
Across the alliance, more than one in every three NDA candidates belongs to upper-caste groups like Rajputs, Bhumihars, Brahmins, and Kayasthas.
BJP Leads in Upper-Caste Representation
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the largest party in the NDA, has fielded 49% of its candidates from upper castes. This includes:
- 21 Rajputs
- 16 Bhumihars
- 11 Brahmins
- 1 Kayastha
In comparison, OBCs (Other Backward Classes) make up 30% of BJP’s candidates, while Scheduled Castes (SCs) account for 12%.
JDU Shows More Balance, But Upper Castes Still Prominent
Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) or JDU has taken a more inclusive approach, giving more representation to backward sections. Out of 101 candidates, the breakdown is:
- 37 OBCs (36%)
- 22 Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) (22%)
- 22 Upper Castes (22%)
- 15 SCs (15%)
- 1 Scheduled Tribe (ST)
- 4 Muslims
Smaller NDA Allies Also Favor Forward Castes
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) or LJP (R) has fielded 60% of its candidates from upper-caste Hindus, with the remaining 40% from SCs and STs. Party insiders revealed that most candidates are from Rajput and Yadav communities (five each), followed by four Paswans and four Bhumihars. Others include one candidate each from various smaller caste groups and one Muslim.
Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM (S) has given tickets to four of his relatives and two Bhumihars out of six seats.
Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM has fielded:
- 1 Bhumihar
- 1 Rajput
- 3 Kushwahas
- 1 Vaishya
Representation vs Population: A Clear Gap
Here’s how the overall caste-wise breakdown of NDA candidates looks:
- 35%+ from upper castes
- 32% from OBCs
- Around 15% from EBCs
- Remaining from SCs and STs
This is not in line with Bihar’s caste demographics, which are:
- 36% EBCs
- 27% OBCs
- 19% SCs
- 15% Upper-Caste Hindus
Despite being a numerical minority, upper-caste Hindus continue to receive a disproportionate share of political representation within the NDA’s candidate list, raising questions about inclusivity and electoral strategy.
