‘Social engineering’ experiments in full swing in Bihar in run-up to 2024

Patna, Nov 26 (IANS) Bihar political parties have swung into election mode several months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for next year, stitching various caste equations by means of ‘social engineering’ to defeat each other.

Although BJP has already started stitching various caste equations, now Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal have also started to do the same and are trying to make a dent in the vote bank of the parties which are part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The BJP has tried to consolidate the Bhumihar (or forward caste) votes by organising programme on the birth anniversary of social activist Swami Sahajanand Saraswati. It is also trying to make a dent in the influential vote bank of the RJD by inducting a large number of people from the Yadav community in the party through the ‘Yaduvanshi Samaj Milan Sammelan’.

BJP has also intensified its efforts to influence the Scheduled Castes by organising a ‘Pan Bunkar Rally’ at the iconic Bapu Sabhagar Auditorium in Patna on November 25, which is celebrated as the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Jhalkari Bai.

The RJD also wants people from all sections of society to vote for them apart from their core vote bank comprising of Yadavs and Muslims. They are also eyeing the anti-Bhumihar votes and Bhumihar caste voters.

Recently, a grand programme was organised at the RJD state headquarters on the birth anniversary of the first Chief Minister of Bihar, Krishna Singh in which various senior party leaders and state ministers participated.

During this programme to influence people from the Bhumihar community, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said that the community should not feel that the RJD is against them.

“RJD is a party which works for the welfare of all sections of society. We wholeheartedly want the Bhumihar community to vote for us in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” Tejashwi said.

Meanwhile, JDU has also tried to woo the Dalits and Mahadalits by organising the ‘Bhim Sansad’ to counter the caste-based rallies organised by the BJP.

JD(U) has intensified its efforts to make the ‘Bhim Sansad’ in Patna to make this programme a success. Bihar Minister Ashok Chaudhary has said this programme is being organised as the “Constitution and the country are in danger”.

“While efforts are being made by the BJP-led Central government to change the Constitution, “communal forces” are spreading disharmony in the society,” Chaudhary added.

Bihar BJP Vice-President Santosh Pathak says, “BJP never indulges in politics involving caste and society. BJP is a national party and talks about taking everyone along and strives for development of all sections of society.”

He also said that all the trust of all sections of the society towards BJP has increased now.

He stressed that various caste programmes have been organised by the saffron party recently, which prove that BJP has strengthened itself as a party in Bihar at the grassroots level and people are voting for it in large numbers.

“The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be different from the previous Lok Sabha elections. This time, JD(U) is expected to be a part of the Opposition Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) apart from NDA in this election, then both the former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha, a Mahadalit leader, including both factions of Lok Janshakti Party are likely to join hands with the BJP.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, NDA candidates had won 39 out of 40 seats in the state while RJD got zero seats and Congress got one seat. The tickets of many BJP and JD(U) MPs are likely to not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Therefore, all parties are trying to stitch various caste equations.

–IANS

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