Nitish Kumar's Final Effort For Political Survival, But No Impact: Prashant Kishor On Bihar Caste Survey

Election strategist Prashant Kishor asserted on October (Tuesday) that the caste-based survey data released by the Bihar government is Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's last-ditch effort at political survival by sowing division along caste lines.

Kishor, currently engaged in the Jan Suraj Pad-Yatra in Sitamarhi district, made these remarks during an interaction with journalists in Berganiya, as reported by The Hindu.

Regarding the caste survey report, Kishor stated, "Nitish Kumar’s political career is nearing its end, and this is his final attempt to divide society and set it on fire in order to run his affairs. I can state this in writing, based on my political understanding, that if the JD(U) wins even five seats, I will publicly apologise in front of everyone. This is the last attempt which will have no impact."

Since the release of the caste-based survey data on 2 October by the grand alliance government in Bihar, opposition leaders have raised questions about its authenticity. Criticism from BJP leaders includes claims of the survey being fake, with assertions that many castes were undercounted.

According to the report, the Extremely Backward Class (EBC) constitutes the largest block in Bihar with a 36.01 per cent share, followed by the Other Backward Class (OBC) at 27.12 per cent.

Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD) president Upendra Kushwaha expressed confusion over the survey and announced a protest march on 14 October to demand an authentic caste survey.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar, present in Patna, dismissed the caste survey report as a bundle of lies, calling it a 'fake' publication by the Bihar government.

Kishor also highlighted the underrepresentation of Muslims despite constituting 18 per cent of Bihar's population. He questioned the distribution of power in the Bihar government, noting that CM Kumar and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav control over 10 departments and more than half of the government's budget.

In response to Kishor's assertions, JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar labeled him as a BJP agent, citing frustration after the survey set a national agenda.