BJP's Strategic Move to Conduct Caste Enumeration in Bihar Ahead of Elections
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government's decision to conduct caste enumeration alongside the national census in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections is seen as a tactical move to counter opposition demands for a nationwide caste census.
BJP's Strategic Move in Bihar
In a politically significant decision before the Bihar Assembly elections, the BJP-led central government announced the conduct of caste enumeration along with the upcoming national census. The move is interpreted as an attempt to counter the opposition India Bloc's demand for a nationwide caste census, a contentious issue in Bihar's caste-sensitive political landscape.
The BJP is seen as preempting a possible division of Hindu votes along caste lines, aiming to retain electoral prospects in a state where identity politics historically overshadows religious consolidation. Bihar had previously conducted a state-level caste survey in 2023, which received unanimous support, including from the BJP, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led the Mahagathbandhan government.
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