In Bihar, Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi are at odds over their hold on Dalit votes ahead of the assembly elections. However, the 2020 figures suggest that their grip isn't as b as it's often perceived to be.
Bihar Election 2025: Assembly elections in Bihar are approaching, and all political parties are making strenuous efforts to win over Dalit voters. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) attempted to send a message by organizing feasts in Dalit settlements on Lalu Yadav's birthday. The Congress appointed Rajesh Ram, a Dalit face, as the state president. Meanwhile, the NDA constituents, the BJP and JDU, are also actively engaged in the Dalit political arena.
Internal Conflict within NDA: Chirag vs. Manjhi
Two prominent Dalit leaders within the ruling NDA coalition—Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi—are now directly confronting each other. Manjhi, the head of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), targeted Chirag Paswan, the president of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). In response, LJP(RV) leaders retaliated against Manjhi. This war of words indicates that there is a tug-of-war within the NDA over Dalit votes.
Political Significance of Dalits in Bihar
Scheduled Castes (SCs) constitute 19.65 percent of Bihar's total population. Out of the 243-member assembly, 38 seats are reserved for Dalits. Additionally, Scheduled Tribes (STs) make up 1.68 percent of the population, with two seats reserved for them. Thus, the SC-ST population in the state is approximately 21 percent, and a total of 40 seats are reserved for them in the assembly.
Who Holds How Much of the Dalit Vote?
In the 2020 assembly elections, Chirag Paswan's party received 5.8 percent of the total votes, but it won only one seat. On the other hand, Jitan Ram Manjhi's party received less than one percent of the votes, but they won four seats. Out of the 38 reserved seats, the NDA won 21, while the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) secured 17 seats. The BJP won 11, the JDU won 8, Manjhi's party won 3, and Mukesh Sahani's VIP won 1 seat.
How Did They Perform in 2020?
Looking at the reserved seats, Manjhi's party utilized Dalit votes better. While Chirag Paswan's LJP(RV) came up empty-handed at the time. Despite this, Chirag's popularity cannot be ignored, especially his b hold among young Dalit voters. However, in terms of numbers, Manjhi performed well even with his limited resources.
NDA Stumbled on the Dalit Pitch in 2015
In the 2015 assembly elections, both Chirag and Manjhi were with the NDA. Despite this, the NDA lagged in Dalit politics. In that election, the RJD-JDU Mahagathbandhan won 24 out of 40 reserved seats. The BJP managed to win only 5 seats, and Manjhi's party won only 1 seat. Notably, Manjhi himself contested from two seats but lost in the Makhdumpur constituency.
In 2010, Congress Made a Surprising Performance
In the 2010 election, when the JDU won over a hundred seats, the Congress surprised everyone in Dalit vote politics. The Congress, by winning 18 reserved seats, presented itself as the largest Dalit representative. This was a figure that completely changed the political landscape at the time.
