Two vote banks remain the fulcrum of Bihar politics

The man who provided an impetus to the social justice (or caste) politics that has characterised Bihar for the past four decades was former chief minister, Bindeshwati Prasad Mandal, popularly known as BP Mandal.

- Chetan Chauhan

RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

He headed the multi-member committee that recommended 27% reservation to the Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in 1980. Reservation for OBCs in government jobs was implemented by VP Singh led Janata Dal government in 1988 and extended to admissions in higher education by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2007-08. Both Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) were formed after the collapse of Janata Dal in the 1990s.

At his Yadav dominated Muroh village, 15 kms from Madhepura town known for its socialist politics, a rich landlord Mandal is no less than a Godlike figure. “He provided the first legal recognition to the backwards and ended dominance of the upper castes,” said Ram Lakhan Yadav, 52, who guards his memorial, built by Lalu. Nitish Kumar contributed to the “icon” by widening the village under the Pradhan Mantri Sadak (road) Yojana (scheme).

Sitting at a palatial bungalow in the village, with a football field sized lawn in front, Mandal's grandnephew Anand Mandal said Lalu, followed by Nitish Kumar used the OBC reservation card to carve out their own caste vote banks. “Had not Mandal ji deciphered the 1931 caste survey and provided the possible reservation formula, the caste politics of Lalu Prasad and Nitish may not have been possible. Caste politics is here to stay and deepen,” he said, referring to the 2023 caste survey.