Bihar survey: Mahagathbandhan gets 46% Dalit support, NDA at 32%
Patna, July 23: A ground-breaking survey jointly conducted by the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) and The Convergent Media (TCM) has offered a rare, in-depth look into the political mood and social concerns of Bihar’s Dalit communities. What makes this initiative unique is that it was entirely led by Dalit activists themselves, making it the largest participatory survey of its kind ever conducted in the state.
The survey covered 18,581 respondents across 49 Assembly constituencies, including 11 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), and spanned six major regions Kosi, Mithilanchal, Seemanchal, Bhojpur, Champaran, and Magadh-Patliputra. A team of 98 Dalit youth, trained through four residential workshops in Patna, Begusarai, and Darbhanga, carried out the fieldwork over 25 days between June 10 and July 4, 2025.
Releasing the findings at a press conference, NACDAOR Chairman Ashok Bharti and TCM directors Prem Kumar and Ranjan Kumar said this was not just a survey but a model of participatory research. “This survey is by Dalits, for Dalits. It goes beyond data collection—it's about ownership of narratives and political self-awareness,” they said.
The results indicate that the Mahagathbandhan, the alliance led by RJD and Congress, has emerged as the leading political choice among Dalit communities, securing 46.13% support compared to the NDA's 31.93%. The alliance’s presence is particularly strong in the Kosi and Bhojpur regions. In contrast, NDA finds its stronghold in Seemanchal.
One of the most telling findings of the survey is the decline in support for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, especially among Mahadalits. Communities like the Dusadhs have shown only 18.79% support for him, and other Mahadalit sub-castes report backing ranging between 20% and 33%. This reflects a weakening connect between the JD(U) and the very communities it once claimed to empower.
When asked about individual leaders, Tejashwi Yadav emerged as the most popular among Dalit respondents with 28.83% support, closely followed by Chirag Paswan at 25.88%. Nitish Kumar trailed behind with 22.80%, suggesting that generational change and new voices are gaining ground within the Dalit political imagination.
Unemployment has clearly emerged as the top concern for Dalit communities in Bihar. More than 58% of the respondents identified it as their primary issue, with even higher figures in economically weaker regions like Kosi (80.5%) and Bhojpur (61.4%). Other concerns include poor education and healthcare facilities, and corruption.
In terms of national leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the most popular with 47.5% support, but he is closely followed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at 40.3%, a notable number considering the Congress’s limited organisational strength in Bihar. Respondents also gave significant credit to both Rahul Gandhi (30.81%) and Tejashwi Yadav (27.57%) for pushing the caste census agenda, while only 33.15% credited Modi.
Late Dalit icon Ram Vilas Paswan continues to hold a strong emotional connection among the community, with 52.35% describing him as the most influential Dalit leader. His influence is particularly high among Dusadhs and smaller sub-castes. Babu Jagjivan Ram also continues to inspire, especially among Ravidas and Chamar communities.
The survey paints a grim picture of the public mood regarding the current state government. Nearly half of the respondents—48.43%—gave the Nitish Kumar-led government a negative rating, especially in Bhojpur and Kosi. Communities like Mehtar, Hadi, Valmiki and Pasi showed relatively more favourable responses, but discontent remains high overall.
Distrust in institutions was another theme that emerged from the responses. Only 51.22% of Dalits surveyed said they trusted the Election Commission, while over 27% felt it was not functioning impartially. A significant 71.56% of respondents said they feared being removed from voter lists, with the fear being highest among Ravidas, Pasis and Dalits in Seemanchal and Kosi regions.
There was also an overwhelming demand for expanding the scope of reservation, with 82.89% supporting reservation beyond the current limits.
Interestingly, the survey challenges the stereotype that Dalits vote only on caste lines. While caste remains a factor, 44.66% of respondents said they vote based on individual candidates, 32.51% based on party, and only 10.09% cited caste as the primary factor. This suggests that the Dalit electorate in Bihar is increasingly making choices based on issues, leadership, and performance.
The survey included all 23 Dalit sub-castes in Bihar and was especially representative of the state’s three largest Dalit groups—Dusadh (31%), Ravidas (30.7%), and Musahar (17.1%). Together, these three communities represent nearly 98% of Bihar’s Dalit population.
The findings have significant implications for upcoming elections in Bihar and highlight a shift in the state's Dalit politics from identity-based mobilisation to issue-driven choices. They also reflect a growing demand for representation, dignity, and structural change within marginalised communities.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
