Patna: More than two decades after the NDA under Nitish Kumar first stepped into Bihar politics with remarkable confidence, the same political dominance has returned. Backed firmly by upper-caste voters as well as the influential Kurmi–Kushwaha communities, Nitish Kumar has once again emerged as the central force of Bihar politics.
On Thursday, Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief Minister for a historic 10th time at Gandhi Maidan, marking one of the biggest electoral milestones of his career. His party, the Janata Dal (United), registered an extraordinary performance with 85 seats, doubling its tally from 43 in the previous Assembly—a 100% increase.
Kurmi–Kushwaha Support Pushed JDU to Peak Performance
The 243-member Bihar Assembly now has 25 MLAs from the Kurmi community and 26 from the Kushwaha (Koiri) community. In 2020, these numbers were only 10 and 16 respectively.
Similarly, the number of MLAs from the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) has risen from 29 to 35, while upper-caste representation has also increased from 63 to 72.
Political experts attribute this surge largely to the consolidation of the Kurmi–Kushwaha vote bank and their renewed trust in Nitish Kumar, who himself belongs to the Kurmi community.
After Yadavs, Kushwahas Now Bihar’s Second Largest Community
As per the caste survey, Bihar’s population includes 4.21% Kushwahas and 2.87% Kurmis.
Kushwahas are the second-largest community after the Yadavs (14.26%). While Kurmis have historically been among the most politically organized and educationally ahead groups, the Kushwahas have grown into a decisive voting bloc.
Experts note that both communities trace their cultural lineage to the “Lav–Kush” tradition, giving them a shared social and political identity.
How Nitish Broke Lalu’s Dominance
According to Professor Manindra Nath Thakur from JNU’s Centre for Political Studies, the Kurmi–Kushwaha consolidation presents a “golden opportunity” for both communities.
He explained that under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, these groups gradually distanced themselves from Lalu Prasad’s larger social coalition, which was seen as Yadav-dominated despite being formed to counter upper-caste influence.
He added that excluding Muslims, the fragmented EBC community—which makes up 26% of the population—creates space for Kurmis and Kushwahas to take the leadership role in Bihar’s evolving social alliance.
Rise in Kurmi–Koeri MLAs is Election-Specific: Analysts
However, political analyst Sanjay Kumar notes that the surge in Kurmi–Kushwaha MLAs should be seen specifically as an outcome of this election, driven by JDU’s exceptional performance.
He said that strong support from the Kushwaha community disproves earlier claims that Kurmi–Koeri voters were drifting away from the NDA.
Muslim–Yadav Representation Declines Sharply
While the NDA’s landslide victory increased representation for Kurmi, Kushwaha, EBC, and upper-caste MLAs, it drastically reduced the presence of communities traditionally aligned with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.
The number of Muslim MLAs has dropped to a historic low of 11, while Yadav MLAs have fallen from 55 to 28, reflecting the shrinking influence of the Mahagathbandhan in this election.
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