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Bypoll losses signal upper caste unease within BJP base
The Quint··15 Aug
The BJP lost recent bypolls in Bihar's Bankipur and Madhya Pradesh's Datia, seats it has historically held among upper caste voters. In Bankipur, political consultant Prashant Kishor won; in Datia, Congress gained ground. BJP leader Yashodhara Raje Scindia publicly called for introspection after the results, which follow earlier protests demanding then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
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What It Means For You
- If you belong to a general or upper caste community, this story reflects a shift in political sentiment that may influence which parties address your specific concerns going forward.
- As a voter in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, or Gujarat, local bypoll trends like these often preview strategies parties will use ahead of the 2028 general elections.
- If you are a student or job seeker, the underlying grievance cited, stagnant incomes and limited quota-linked opportunities, is a concern shared broadly, not just among one caste group.
What's Happening
- The BJP lost the Bankipur seat in Bihar, long held by its state president's family, to political consultant-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, and lost Datia in Madhya Pradesh to Congress.
- In Gujarat's Manjalpur seat, the BJP's vote share fell nine percentage points compared to 2022, while Congress gained despite the AAP not contesting.
- BJP leaders and activists have linked these results to lingering dissatisfaction among upper caste supporters following the removal of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan after student protests.
Adaptive Context
- Similar upper caste dissatisfaction previously surfaced during 2018 protests against a Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Amendment Act, when a new party, SAPAKS, contributed to BJP losses in Madhya Pradesh.
- Independent candidate Ravindra Singh Bhati's rise in western Rajasthan since 2023, drawing Rajput votes away from BJP, reflects a similar pattern of caste-based defections in another state.
- Upper caste groups still see limited alternatives, since Congress is viewed as viable only in specific seats due to its alliances with social justice parties in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
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