BJP cold to caste census, Nitish Kumar puts demand on the back burner, rolls back events, tours

But since crossing over to the BJP-led NDA last month, the Bihar CM has stopped raising his caste census demand. This is being attributed in political circles to the point that the BJP’s reaction to this demand has remained lukewarm.

Before joining the NDA, Nitish had said he would address public meetings in different states like Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to push for a nationwide caste census.

One such public awareness rally of Nitish was even scheduled on December 24 in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency. But that programme was deferred with the JD(U) then alleging that the local administration had not allotted a venue for it.

At the JD(U)’s New Delhi national executive meeting on December 29, where Nitish replaced Lallan Singh as party president, the party’s apex body had passed a proposal stating that the JD(U) would campaign for caste-based census outside Bihar. It was announced that from January, Nitish would tour different states to raise public awareness, beginning with Jharkhand. He would also participate in similar programmes hosted by other regional outfits in different states.

The JD(U) national executive had also lauded Nitish’s role in bringing together the Opposition parties and spearheading the caste census demand.

Now, a party leader said, “No programmes on the nationwide caste census demand are happening, because BJP — our lead partner in the NDA — is unwilling to conduct it.”

He also said, “The BJP is unwilling to let regional allies fight on seats outside their respective states, so we’re not expecting to contest outside Bihar this time.” He said that the JD(U) had contested as part of the NDA in different states, including UP, in the past.

JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi however said that various social outfits in different states have

invited Nitish to press for the caste survey demand. “Since the data of Bihar’s caste-based survey was released, Nitish’s acceptability had shot up in these states. Meanwhile, he has extended support to the demands by the Marathas of Maharashtra and Patels of Gujarat, who now want Nitish’s presence at their programmes. But no itinerary for touring any state has been finalised. The party will discuss it to assess how beneficial to Nitish his participation in these programmes would be,” Tyagi said.

On whether the change of plan was necessitated by the JD(U) joining the NDA, Tyagi said, “BJP has not strongly opposed the demand. When Nitish ji met the Prime Minister along with both his deputy CMs, the latter hadn’t categorically suppressed him on the issue. Nitish ji still has caste census programmes on his mind, but not before the Lok Sabha polls. We believe the BJP leadership won’t oppose a caste-based survey.”

He added that during “Amrit Kaal”, various castes have the right to know how much their socio-economic empowerment has advanced.

On the JD(U) not contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls outside Bihar, Tyagi said the party has urged the BJP to give at least one Lok Sabha seat to it in both Jharkhand and UP as part of the alliance.