PATNA: As campaigning for the Bankipur Assembly by-election gathers momentum, Kayastha voters, considered a key electoral bloc in the constituency, are increasingly viewing the contest through the lens of caste identity.
"For us,it is not a fight of BJP but it is now a battle of our caste-identity and we are united to vote in massive number", said Rohan Srivastava, a Kayastha voter from the constituency.
With campaigning expected to intensify after July 20, caste equations, particularly among Kayasthas, have become a major talking point. The recent induction of scholar KC Sinha into the BJP from the Jan Suraaj Party (JSP), along with support from sections of the trader community, is being seen by local observers as strengthening the BJP's position. BJP leaders also claim the Vaishya community, one of its traditional support bases, remains united behind the party.
"There are around 1.50 lakh kayastha voters in Bankipur and nearly 80000 to 1 lakh in Kumharar assembly constituency in Patna and first time with the entry of Prashant Kishor in the fray has paved a way for their polarisation towards caste candidate fielded by BJP", said Sohan Prasad, a retired school teacher from Bander Bagicha.
He said Bankipur, followed by Kumharar, has one of the highest concentrations of Kayastha voters after West Bengal, and claimed the community was increasingly voting together in support of candidates from its own caste.
"It is now our matter of identity in the electoral politics and we,even those who are associated with other parties than BJP,are in mood to vote for BJP candidate silently so that our representatives could be effectively continue in the state legislative assembly ", said Sohani Sinha, a teacher at a private school in Patna. She said the BJP had gained the community's support after elevating Nitin Nabin to a key position in the party.
The BJP is also highlighting development works carried out in the constituency. State BJP president Sanjay Saraogi expressed confidence that young voters and women would continue to support the party.
Campaigning has intensified across the constituency, with workers of all major parties carrying out door-to-door outreach.
"You can see BJP workers across the areas in door to door intensive campaign wrapping Saffron coloured -gamcha around their necks while RJD workers are seen in campaign with green colour -that's party symbolic colour gamcha and the workers of Jan Suraaj Party wrapping Yellow colour gamcha around their necks", residents of Bankipur remarked.
Commenting on the campaign, Dr Archana Kumari, Professor of Political Science at a government college, said, "At least Bankipur by assembly election has got a colour demarcation in campaigns through Bihar's traditional gamchha being used in saffron,yellow and green colour."
Responding in a lighter vein, a BJP worker said, "jitega national colour hee.. saffron wala kyo ki Yellow colour ka Jupiter weak hai and Green colour ka Budh planetary position weak hai."
With campaigning set to intensify in the coming days, the Bankipur by-election has entered a crucial phase, with all major parties expressing confidence of victory.