The Bharatiya Janata Party hopes to deepen its support among backward castes, especially the Extremely Backward Classes, in Bihar following the announcement of Bharat Ratna for former chief minister Karpoori Thakur, a leader who enjoys admiration from backward satraps of various hues.
The presence of entrenched Other Backward Classes (OBC) leaders such as Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav and Janata Dal-United president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has meant that the BJP has so far been unable to replicate in Bihar the kind of sway it has over the community in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.
With an attempt to appropriate the legacy of Thakur, who came from a numerically small 'Nai' (barber) community, the BJP is hopeful that it can win over the support of a large number of backward castes which individually are low in numbers but together outnumber more dominant backward castes like the Yadavs.
Thakur's caste is part of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), the most numerous demographic, according to the recent caste survey carried out by the Bihar government.
EBCs are 36 per cent while OBC are 27 per cent of the state's total population.
The EBCs' count includes several Muslim castes too.
Kumar, an admirer of Thakur, has built his political success by weaving a coalition of a large chunk of EBCs and non-Yadav Other Backward Classes.
He also nominated Thakur's son Ram Nath Thakur as a JD-U MP to the Rajya Sabha. With Kumar's political graph being seen by many to be in decline, the BJP has been making a big push to woo his support base with various measures, including by appointing backward Koeri leader Samrat Choudhary as its state president.
The BJP believes that the award of the country's highest civilian award for Thakur will give further momentum to its drive.
Some political watchers have also suggested that the decision may help create more common ground between the BJP and Kumar at a time when the JD-U's growing disagreement with other members of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is the talk of the town.
A visionary leader, Karpoori Thakur had rolled out the sub-categorisation of backward classes reservation in Bihar in the 70s by ensuring a separate quota for EBCs so that their pie is not affected by the more dominant Other Backward Classes.
