Amid continuing conflicts in the NDA and poll strategist Prashant Kishor looking very eager to himself become the “King”, rather than being a Kingmaker, the increasing closeness of the upper caste Bhumihar community with the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has alarmed the BJP. Strangely, Yadavs and Bhumihars, the two politically powerful castes have been at loggerheads with each other for the past over 30 years. While Yadavs have been the traditional vote-bank of Lalu Prasad-led RJD, Bhumihar has supported the BJP all these years.
The whole story took a curious turn when RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was invited as the chief guest during the Parshuram Jayanti organized by the Bhumihar-Brahmin Ekta Manch Foundation here yesterday, highlighting their open rebellion against the saffron camp. Speaking on this occasion, Tejashwi assured to work for their betterment while expressing regrets on behalf of the party for the “past mistakes’, if any.
“Galti har kisi se hoti hai, sudharne ka mauka milana chahiye (If anyone has committed mistake, he/she should be given the opportunity to reform),” Tejahwi said, adding he would continue working for them even if they don’t vote in the next elections. Tejashwi reached out to the upper castes after they hugely supported the RJD in the just-held legislative council polls to 24 seats and by-poll to Bochaha assembly seat in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. Thanks to their support, the RJD performed well in both these two elections.
In a clear message to the BJP, the head of the Foundation Ashutosh Kumar declared their community couldn’t be treated as “bonded laborer” anymore. “None can take us for granted anymore and the results of the recent elections have amply proved this. We will support only those who give us respect,” Kumar declared, dropping ample hints about how the community is slowly trying to come out of the shadow of the BJP.
“We are befriending the Yadavs to protect our honour. Just can’t stay with the BJP or JD-U any longer bearing humiliation,” says a senior Bhumihar leader and former parliamentarian Arun Kumar. Another senior leader from this community and former Congress president Ram Jatan Sinha made a similar comment. “They (the BJP) had taken the upper caste voters for granted and had been treating them as bonded labourers but the results of the legislative council polls and Bochaha by-elections have conveyed them enough message,” says Sinha who hails from Jehanabad district.
How the entire situation is changing fast in Bihar could be underlined from a key slogan doing the rounds in the state political circles—“Babhan ke chuda Yadav ke dahi, dono mili tab Bihar me hoi sab sahi (Bihar will be on the right track if both the Bhumihars and the Yadav come together and share lunch).” The very slogan has literally robbed the peace of the BJP. A worried BJP is now constantly reminding the Bhumihar community people about how they were the main victims during the caste riots which took place during the 15 years of the RJD regime.
“RJD’s sins can’t be washed out because of regrets expressed by Tejashwi Yadav. The masses can’t forget how hundreds of people were butchered in the massacres leaving children orphans and women widowed,” commented BJPs state spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan. He said the situation during the RJD regime was such that the people didn’t dare to go out of their homes even during the day time. “Tejashwi Ji should know that the people of Bihar understand his game very well and will never come in his goody-goody words anymore,” Ranjan added.