Patna: A heated exchange unfolded in the Bihar Assembly on Thursday during a discussion on the Governor’s address, after the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) diverted the debate toward Dalit issues. The move sparked loud protests from the ruling NDA, leading to sharp political confrontation inside the House.
RJD MLA Kumar Sarvjeet triggered the flashpoint with two controversial remarks. He alleged that Dalit areas in Gaya district still lacked basic infrastructure. He also claimed that Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College Hospital resembled a Dalit colony because development had been ignored there.
His remarks drew immediate objections from NDA leaders, who demanded he withdraw his statements. Speaker Prem Kumar intervened and cited available data on development projects at the medical college. The argument intensified when senior JD(U) leader and former minister Ratnesh Sada hit back, declaring that Dalits would “never forgive” Sarvjeet for how they were treated during the RJD regime.
Grand Alliance Returns to Dalit Agenda
The confrontation in the Assembly comes days after the Congress held a review meeting in Delhi over its poor performance in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The party leadership reportedly resolved to shift its political strategy and focus on Dalits, Muslims, and Bhumihars instead of EBCs and OBCs.
The Congress has since appointed Rajesh Ram, a Dalit leader, as the party’s state president — the fourth Dalit to hold this post in Bihar. The party is considering increasing Dalit representation in key organizational roles at the state level.
Why the Sudden Political Outreach to Dalits? Six Key Factors
Data from the recent election highlights why RJD and Congress are aggressively attempting to rebuild trust among Dalit voters:
• Bihar Assembly has 40 reserved seats (38 SC, 2 ST)
• NDA won 35 of these seats; Grand Alliance secured only 5
• NDA won 34 of 38 SC seats and 1 of 2 ST seats
• NDA grabbed 87% of reserved seats — double its 2020 performance
• NDA fielded 40 Dalit candidates and won 35 seats
• Grand Alliance fielded 40 Dalit candidates but won just 5 seats
Dalit Vote Shift Toward NDA
According to Pollsmap survey and Lokniti data, the Dalit vote consolidated behind the NDA in 2025. Nearly two-thirds of Dalit voters supported the alliance, a sharp contrast to 2020 when Dalit votes were fragmented.
Among the Paswan/Dusadh community — a key Dalit bloc — 62 percent voted for the NDA. In 2020, when the LJP(R) contested separately, votes were split between alliances.
Leadership Advantage for NDA
Experts say NDA benefited from having two prominent Dalit leaders — LJP(R) chief Chirag Paswan and HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi. Their presence gave the ruling coalition a decisive edge.
A senior journalist notes that in closely fought contests, small vote shares matter significantly.
“Chirag Paswan turned out to be a key factor. Last time, he damaged JD(U)’s prospects on nearly 30 seats. This time, he helped them win,” he said.
The Grand Alliance, meanwhile, lacks a Dalit leader who can influence votes at this scale — a gap now pushing both RJD and Congress to aggressively reclaim lost ground.
As Bihar politics pivots toward caste alignments once again, the Dalit vote has emerged as the most crucial battleground ahead of the next major political contest.
