Is BJP Losing its Core Vote Bank in Bihar? Internal Survey Rings Alarm Bells as Brahmins Drift Towards Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj

The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections have presented the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with a significant challenge: the potential loss of its traditional Brahmin vote bank . This Upper Caste group, long considered the BJP’s core support over the past 20-25 years, is reportedly distancing itself from the party.
An internal party survey has confirmed this worrying trend, which is set to impact the political dynamics in Bihar. The party had previously treated these voters, who migrated from the Congress, as ‘forced voters’ with no viable alternative to the RJD. However, allegations of neglect in political representation are fueling the current unrest.
Reasons for the Brahmin Community’s Discontent:
The Brahmin community alleges that despite consistently voting for the BJP, they are being denied adequate political representation.
- Ticket Distribution Imbalance: In the 2020 Assembly elections, the BJP allocated only 11 tickets to the Brahmin community, compared to 15 for Bhumihars, 21 for Rajputs, and 3 for Kayasths. This disparity has become a primary source of resentment.
- Minimal Cabinet Representation: In the Nitish Kumar cabinet, the BJP has only two Brahmin ministers (Mangal Pandey and Nitish Mishra). Similarly, only 2 tickets were given to the community in the recent Lok Sabha polls, with only one winner.
Brahmin Demographics in Bihar:
As per the 2023 caste-based survey, Brahmins constitute 3.66% of Bihar’s total population, making them the largest group within the 15.22% Upper Caste demographic, followed by Rajputs (3.45%) and Bhumihars (2.86%). The alienation of such a significant vote block poses a major threat to the BJP’s electoral strategy.
The Shift Towards Jan Suraj:
The BJP’s internal report further indicates that the highest level of disenchantment among the Brahmins is with the BJP. A substantial portion of these disaffected voters are now leaning towards Prashant Kishor’s new political party, Jan Suraj. This shift in the Brahmin vote could increase the challenge for the BJP in the upcoming election and signal a new political alignment in the state.