NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday began his election campaign in Bihar with a focus on consolidating support among the state’s dominant OBCs (Other Backward Classes) and EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes).
Addressing a massive rally in Samastipur, the home district of the late socialist leader and former Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, who was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna under the current NDA government, Modi invoked Thakur's political legacy to appeal to Bihar's backwards-class electorate. By choosing Samastipur, a district with a strong OBC-EBC demographic, the rally seemed carefully planned to connect with these communities.
His speech highlighted the NDA's commitment to the welfare and empowerment of OBCs, EBCs, women, and youth. Modi took a jab at the Opposition, particularly the Congress and RJD, accusing them of being anti-OBC and anti-Dalit, and cautioned these communities against what he described as attempts to undermine their political and social advancement.
He criticised the Congress for allegedly trying to appropriate the title "Jannayak," associated with Karpoori Thakur, by projecting Rahul Gandhi under the same banner during a recent political Yatra. Modi asserted that the NDA would not allow Thakur’s legacy to be diluted or the 'Jungle Raj' to return under Opposition rule in Bihar.
The timing and tone of the rally were politically strategic, coming after the 2023 Bihar Caste Survey Report, which shows OBCs constitute 63.14 per cent of the state’s population, including 36.01 per cent from EBCs and 27.13 per cent from BCs. These figures underscore the importance of the OBC-EBC vote in Bihar's elections. Modi's speech also reinforced Nitish Kumar's leadership within the NDA, signalling stability and unity ahead of the polls. By invoking Thakur's socialist heritage and aligning it with the NDA’s developmental agenda, Modi combined emotional symbolism with political strategy.
With over 120 assembly constituencies in Bihar—including around 70 per cent of seats in Samastipur and six adjoining districts heavily influenced by OBC and EBC voters—Modi's outreach aimed to cement the NDA's dominance in these regions. The rally also showcased alliance cohesion, with leaders such as Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Upendra Kushwaha, and senior JD(U) representatives sharing the stage and affirming their commitment to a unified campaign under Modi's national leadership and Nitish Kumar's state stewardship.
