The government of Bihar, led by Nitish Kumar, has unveiled the results of a highly anticipated caste survey, strategically timed months ahead of the 2024 Parliamentary elections. The survey’s findings are striking, revealing that Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) together constitute a substantial 63 percent of the state’s entire population. This data, which may potentially ignite calls for similar caste-based censuses in other regions, has become a pivotal topic for the opposition INDIA bloc. It could significantly impact Kumar’s alliance in the upcoming elections in the Hindi heartland, where caste-based politics holds considerable sway.
