Wed Oct 29 03:00:00 UTC 2025: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bihar’s EBCs: Numerical Strength Fails to Translate into Political Power
Patna, October 29, 2025 – Despite comprising 36% of Bihar’s population, Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) remain significantly underrepresented in the state’s political arena. A recent analysis highlights a persistent disparity between the EBCs’ numerical strength and their actual influence in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.
The study reveals that while backward caste politics have dominated Bihar for decades, the EBCs, a diverse group of 112 castes, have been historically marginalized. Political representation has rarely exceeded 10%, despite their significant presence.
Experts point to the complex nature of the EBC category, with a fragmented mix of castes making broad political mobilization challenging. While some groups, such as the Nishad community, have attempted to consolidate their numbers, leadership remains scattered across various political parties, hindering unified action.
Even with increased EBC candidate nominations for the upcoming 2025 elections, especially among regional parties, representation remains symbolic. Parties tend to nominate candidates from a limited number of dominant EBC communities, rather than a comprehensive representation of the diversity within the group.
While grassroots empowerment through local elections has shown some success, it has not translated into significant material improvement for EBC communities, which continue to struggle with poverty and economic insecurity.
The analysis suggests that unless structural changes are implemented to ensure genuine EBC representation and address the diverse needs of the community, their voices will continue to be muted in Bihar’s political landscape.
First Piper 