Patna: In a sharp deviation from the NDA’s official line, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Bihar in-charge and MP Arun Bharti has termed the caste survey conducted by the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government a “betrayal” and “conspiracy” against the Bahujan Samaj. His remarks have exposed fresh fissures within the ruling alliance, just months ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.
Bharti, who is also the brother-in-law of Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, launched his attack while ostensibly criticising Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. However, in doing so, he questioned the very legitimacy of a key initiative of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar—who continues to hail the caste survey as a landmark achievement of his government.
बिहार में महागठबंधन की सरकार में, आधे-अधूरे जातीय सर्वेक्षण सिर्फ अपने वोट बैंक की संख्या उजागर कर सत्ता की दावेदारी मजबूत करना था, ना कि बहुजन समाज को उसका हक और न्याय दिलवाना। तेजस्वी यादव ने बहुजनों को गिनती तक ही सीमित रखा।
इसके उलट, चिराग पासवान ने केंद्रीय मंत्री रहते हुए…
— Arun Bharti (@ArunBhartiLJP) June 24, 2025
Describing the Bihar caste survey as “half-baked” and “politically motivated,” Bharti alleged that it was engineered during the Mahagathbandhan government to consolidate Yadav-Muslim support in favour of Tejashwi, rather than to uplift the broader Bahujan Samaj.
“The survey didn’t include data on poverty, education, land ownership, or government representation among backward castes,” Bharti said. “It was designed to showcase Tejashwi’s MY vote bank and not to deliver justice to Dalits, Mahadalits and tribal communities.”
Bharti further claimed that it was Union Minister Chirag Paswan who deserved credit for pushing forward the real caste census at the national level, positioning him as the true champion of the Bahujan cause.
The statement drew a sharp rebuttal from the Janata Dal (United). Party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar reminded Bharti that the caste survey was a product of an all-party consensus and that its findings formed the basis for enhanced reservations and targeted welfare schemes.
“The survey was scientific and transparent. It benefitted everyone,” Kumar said. “Denying its contribution is both politically misleading and factually incorrect.”
Bharti’s comments have fuelled speculation of discord within the NDA, especially between the JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas), even as both parties gear up to contest the upcoming state polls as allies. While Chirag Paswan has maintained silence on the issue, his party’s repeated assertions of taking credit for caste-based data collection and his growing appeal among Dalit voters may complicate seat-sharing talks in the weeks ahead.
Observers say the latest exchange could mark the beginning of deeper ideological and strategic fault lines within the alliance, particularly as Bihar’s complex caste matrix takes centre stage in the election narrative.
