Bihar’s Political Puzzle: Where Caste Trumps Population in Elections! How Do 5 Castes Control 22 Lok Sabha Seats?

Bihar Politics: After the delimitation of 2009, the delimitation of 22 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar is revolving around 5 castes. The MPs elected on these seats may belong to any party but their castes remain of these five. There are many seats including Aurangabad and Madhepura, where the same caste has been in power for 40 years.

Interestingly, the population of the 5 castes around which the equation of more than half of the Lok Sabha seats in Bihar revolves is only 30 percent. 

For example, Rajputs, who constitute 3 percent of the population, have been occupying 7 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar for a long time. Similarly, 3 MPs from the Bhumihar caste, which constitutes 2.5 percent of the population, win the elections and reach the Parliament every time. 

According to the Bihar caste survey, there are a total of 214 castes in this state with a population of 13 crores. According to the new delimitation, there are a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. 

These castes dominate in grabbing seats

Rajput

Rajput community of upper caste community has about 3 percent population in Bihar. In 2019, 7 MPs were elected from this community. These include Radha Mohan Singh from East Champaran, Sushil Singh from Aurangabad, Veena Singh from Vaishali, RK Singh from Ara, Kavita Singh from Siwan, Janardan Singh from Maharajganj and Rajiv Pratap Rudy from Saran.

Yadav

The population of Yadav community in Bihar is about 14 percent. This community has the highest population in Hindu religion. In 2019, 5 leaders from this community reached the Lok Sabha. These include Ram Kripal from Pataliputra, Ashok Yadav from Madhubani, Nityanand Rai from Ujiarpur, Girdhari Yadav from Banka and Dinesh Yadav from Madhepura.

Koiri-Kurmi

The population of both communities in Bihar is around 7 percent. Koiri is around 4 percent and Kurmi is around 3 percent. In 2019, 4 MPs from both communities won. The names of the four are- Kaushalendra Kumar from Nalanda, Santosh Kushwaha from Purnia, Mahabali Kushwaha from Karakat and Baidyanath Kushwaha from Valmikinagar.

Paswan

The population of Paswan (Dusadh) community in Bihar is 5 percent. Ram Vilas Paswan was a big leader of this caste. In 2019, 4 people of Paswan caste became MPs. These include Chirag Paswan from Jamui, Pashupati Paras from Hajipur, Ramchandra Paswan from Samastipur and Chhedi Paswan from Sasaram.

Bhumihar

The population of Bhumihar community in Bihar is about 2.5 percent. These castes dominate the districts along the Ganges. In 2019, 3 Bhumihar MPs were elected from Bihar. These include Rajiv Ranjan from Munger, Giriraj Singh from Begusarai and Chandan Singh from Nawada. 

Understand the story of 22 seats-

East Champaran

1. In 2009, East Champaran seat came into existence after being separated from Motihari. Since then, Radha Mohan Singh of Rajput community is the MP from this seat. In 2019, opposition parties fielded Akash of Bhumihar community against Radha Mohan Singh, but he lost.

Vaishali

2. From 1991 till now, only people from Rajput community have become MPs from Vaishali seat. In 1991, Shivsharan Singh won the election from Janata Dal. In the 1994 by-election, Lovely Anand of Samata Party won. From 1996 to 2009, Raghuvansh Prasad of RJD kept winning from here. In 2014, Rama Singh of LJP defeated Raghuvansh Prasad. In 2019, Veena Devi won from here.

Aurangabad

3. Talking about Aurangabad, this place is also dominated by Rajput community. Out of 17 elections held in Aurangabad, 16 times leaders from Rajput community have become MPs. Sushil Singh won from here in 2009, 2014 and 2019. Before Sushil Singh, Nikhil Kumar had won from here, he was also from Rajput community.

Ara

4. RK Singh, who comes from the Rajput community, is currently the MP from Ara seat. He has been winning elections continuously since 2014. Rajputs have occupied the Ara seat since 1998. In the 1998 elections, Haridwar Prasad Singh won on the symbol of Samata Party. RJD’s Ram Prasad Singh won in 1999 and Kanti Singh in 2004. In 2009, Meena Singh was elected MP from JDU. 

Saran

5. Saran seat is also currently held by Rajeev Pratap Rudy of Rajput community. Rudy won from here for the first time in 1996, when this seat was called Chhapra. Saran seat has been occupied by people of Yadav and Rajput community for a long time. In 2009, Lalu Yadav won from here and reached Lok Sabha. 

Siwan

6.  Siwan seat is currently being represented by Rajput community member Kavita Singh. However, if we look at the record of this seat, it has been occupied by Muslims and Yadav community. In 1996, Shahabuddin won from here on RJD symbol. He kept winning from here till 2004. Om Prakash Yadav won in 2009 and 2014. 

Nalanda

7. Kaushalendra Kumar of Kurmi community is currently the MP from Nalanda seat. Kaushalendra has been the MP from this seat since 2009. Nitish Kumar had won here in 2004. Nitish Kumar also belongs to the Kurmi community. 

Karakat

8. Mahabali Kushwaha of Koiri community is currently the MP from Karakat seat. Karakat seat came into existence for the first time in 2009, since then only Kushwaha has been elected MP from here. Mahabali Kushwaha won from here in 2009 and Upendra Kushwaha in 2014.

Madhepura

9. At present, Dinesh Chandra Yadav of the Yadav community is the MP from Madhepura seat. There is a slogan about Madhepura in the political corridors of Bihar – ‘Rome belongs to the Pope, Madhepura belongs to Gop’

People from the Yadav community have been winning the Madhepura seat since 1980. Pappu Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Lalu Yadav have also been MPs from here.

Patliputra

10. People from the Yadav community have been winning the Patliputra seat, which came into existence in 2009. Ramkripal Yadav won from here in 2014 and 2019. Ranjan Yadav won in 2009. Ranjan defeated Lalu Prasad Yadav in the election. Patliputra seat is a rural seat of the capital Patna.

Hajipur

11. Except for the 2009 elections, leaders from the Paswan community have become MPs from the Hajipur seat in all elections since 1996. Ram Vilas Paswan won from Hajipur in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014. In 2019, Pashupati Paras won from here. 

Ujiyarpur

12. The Ujiarpur seat, which came into existence in 2009, has been won by people from the Mahato and Yadav communities. In 2009, Ashwamegh Devi won from here. Ashwamegh belongs to the Koiri community. Nityanand Rai won from here in 2014 and 2019. Rai belongs to the Yadav community.

Madhubani

13. Ashok Yadav of the Yadav community is currently the MP from Madhubani seat. This seat of Mithila has been occupied by the Muslim and Yadav communities since 1998. Shakeel Ahmed won from here in 1998 and 2004 and reached the Parliament. Hukumdev Narayan Yadav won in 1999, 2009 and 2014.

Araria

14. Pradeep Singh is currently the MP from Araria seat. This seat has been occupied by the Muslim and Rajput community for the last 15 years. Pradeep Singh has also won from here in 2009. Taslimuddin had won from here in 2014. After his death, Taslimuddin’s son Sarfaraz won in 2018.

Purnea

15. Santosh Kushwaha of Kushwaha community is currently the MP from Purnea seat. Santosh had also won this seat in 2014. Rajput and Kushwaha communities have been in control of Purnea for the last 20 years. In 2004 and 2009, Uday Singh of Rajput community had won from here. 

Samastipur

16. Prince Paswan is currently the MP from Samastipur seat. His father Ramchandra Paswan won from here in 2019. In Samastipur too, people from Paswan community have been becoming MPs for the last 15 years. Maheshwar Hazari was elected MP from here in 2009. In 2014, Ramchandra Paswan won and reached the Lok Sabha. 

Valmikinagar

17. Sunil Kushwaha is currently the MP from Valmikinagar seat. He won from here after the death of Baidyanath Kushwaha in 2020. This seat, which came into existence in 2009, has been occupied by Brahmin and Kushwaha community only. Out of the 4 MPs elected so far, 3 were from Kushwaha and 1 from Brahmin community. 

Nawada

18. Chandan Singh is currently the MP from Nawada seat. Chandan comes from the Bhumihar community. Since 2009, two parties have won from here, but every time the candidate has been a Bhumihar. In 2009, BJP’s Bhola Singh and in 2014, Giriraj Singh won from here and reached the Parliament. Both come from the Bhumihar community.

Bhumihar

19. Munger seat is currently occupied by Lalan Singh and he belongs to Bhumihar caste. This seat has also been occupied by Bhumihar community for a long time. In 2014, Suraj Bhan Singh’s wife Veena Devi won from here. Lalan Singh himself won in 2009. 

Begusarai

20. Begusarai seat is currently in the account of BJP and Union Minister Giriraj Singh is the MP from here. Giriraj comes from Bhumihar community. In 2014, Bhola Singh of Bhumihar community won from here. In 2009, Monjir Hasan of Muslim community won from here. In 2004, Lallan Singh won from here.

Banka

21. Giridhari Yadav is currently the MP from Banka seat. Giridhari belongs to the Yadav community. Banka seat has been occupied by Yadav and Thakur communities. Jai Prakash Yadav won from here in 2014. Digvijay Singh won the election from here in 2009. Giridhari Yadav won from here in 2004.

Maharajganj

22. Rajput community also dominates Maharajganj seat. Janardan Singh Sigriwal is the current MP from here. Sigriwal became MP from here for the first time in 2014. Umashankar Singh became MP from here in 2009. Prabhunath Singh won from here in 1998, 1999 and 2004.