Bihar caste survey: The importance of being EBC in state

Lalu Prasad first realised how they could add to any alliance; with no major social group backing him, Nitish then assiduously wooed them

The Extremely Backward Classes are believed to include some 130-odd groups and sub-groups, prominent among them being Nai (barbers), fishermen (bearing surnames of Sahani, Nishad and Kevat), Lohar (blacksmith), Teli (those in the oil business) and Nonia (traditionally they made non or nun, meaning salt). (Wikimedia Commons)

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Scattered across the state, the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) – who at 36.01% are the largest group in the caste survey data released on Monday – are believed to include some 130-odd groups and sub-groups, prominent among them being Nai (barbers), fishermen (bearing surnames of Sahani, Nishad and Kevat), Lohar (blacksmith), Teli (those in the oil business) and Nonia (traditionally they made non or nun, meaning salt).

The fact that they generally work for influential groups to make a living, means they are often called Pachpaunia (literally meaning serving five groups).

It was RJD chief Lalu Prasad who first realised the importance of EBCs in his social arithmetic because of their cumulative numbers, much more than any individual dominant group like the Yadavs (14.27% of the population as per the caste census) and Muslims (about 17%).

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Bihar caste survey data

Lalu meticulously courted the EBCs in his first term and termed them Pachforna (a mix of five spices). The logic was that just as Pachforna adds taste to any dish, the mix of EBCs would add to any alliance.

Explained | Bihar caste census: what the data say

Nitish Kumar, with no major social group backing him, has nursed the EBCs with reservations and sundry education and welfare benefits during his time as Chief Minister.

The BJP has also been wooing this section, with the result that the 2014 Lok Sabha polls saw them line up behind Narendra Modi who played up his own caste and chaiwallah image.

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