Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
are two states where caste politics has ever been dominant during assembly elections. Occasionally , the
issue of development is raised but mainly form publicity purposes. Caste factor
is never lost sight of, whether in the selection of candidates to contest from
specific constituencies or in overall structure of political parties. And
political leaders never conceal their intentions.
Once elections are over ,caste considerations
become prominent while taking decisions to run the government machinery. This
naturally results in injustice to weaker sections. While a few influential
persons belonging to castes favoured by the ruling combination are allowed to
garner benefits legally or illegally, others are forced to suffer. The victory of
particular castes in elections, thus mainly remains notional for the poor and
oppressed.
This is an unfortunate situation. More
unfortunate has been the conflict between dalits castes and sections of backward
castes. The sharp division in the ranks of these two sections has been of more
disadvantage to the weak and powerless.
As the elections change the status of those
in the government and the opposition, the situation becomes worse.In UP government
servants favoured during the Bahujan Samaj Party rule came to the receiving end
after Mayawati had lost power. If the situation changes in the next elections,
the opposite will take place.
A similar situation seems to be emerging in Bihar with leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, belonging to
other backward classes pitted against Dalit leaders like Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi.Victory of any one group is likely to result in worry for the
group that loses.This is not a welcome situation for Indian democracy.
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