The Rising Political Influence of Mukesh Sahani in Bihar's Caste-Driven Electoral Landscape

New Delhi:

In Bihar's dynamic political environment, where caste and community significantly influence electoral outcomes, 44-year-old Mukesh Sahani represents a fascinating narrative that combines ambition with political calculation.

As the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) leader, Sahani embodies the aspirations of the Mallah, Sahani, and Nishad communities. These groups constitute nine percent of Bihar's electorate according to the 2023 caste survey, potentially determining the balance in a complex political landscape.

While the Mahagathbandhan coalition offers Sahani 15 seats, his insistence on at least 24 seats reflects more than a power negotiation—it signifies a deeper struggle for adequate representation of Bihar's fishermen and boatmen communities.

Is Sahani overreaching his influence?

Having transitioned from a career in Bollywood to politics, Sahani has positioned himself as the champion of the Mallah community. Yet in Bihar's ever-changing political environment, his journey unfolds like a dramatic screenplay featuring ambition, betrayal, and power struggles.

Sahani's trajectory resembles Shakespeare's Macbeth, whose unchecked ambition leads to downfall. His rapid ascent has been marked by strategic missteps that now jeopardize his political future.

Once considered a rising political star, Sahani now stands at a critical juncture.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removed him from the Bihar cabinet in 2022, where Sahani served as Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister, following his harsh criticisms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Currently, Sahani faces limited options: remain with the Mahagathbandhan coalition, or contest independently with smaller political entities and potentially face political irrelevance.

What explains Sahani's political significance?

The Mallah community, though distributed throughout Bihar, holds substantial electoral influence in specific regions, particularly northern Bihar.

Their presence is especially notable in Mithilanchal and Seemanchal regions.

Traveling north from Patna and crossing the Ganges reveals the Mallah community's significant presence. They constitute a crucial voting bloc in Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, and Madhubani. Eastward toward Seemanchal, substantial Mallah populations exist in Khagaria, Araria, Purnea, and Katihar.

The terms Mallah, Nishad, and Sahani are often used interchangeably or to identify subgroups within Bihar's larger riverine fishing and boatmen communities.

The Mallah community represents a subcaste of the broader Nishad group.

While Sahani is known as "son of Mallah," his VIP party appeals to the wider Nishad community. The Nishad designation encompasses numerous subcastes, including Bind, Beldar, and Kewat. The nine percent figure attributed to Nishads represents a comprehensive total including both Mallah and Sahani populations.

Sociologists classify the Sahani-Nishad-Mallah communities as a 'caste association' (similar to 'Baniyas') within Bihar's Extremely Backwards Class (EBC) category, which constitutes 36.01 percent of the state's total population.

Historical context

Muzaffarpur has previously elected MPs from the Mallah community, including BJP's Ajay Nishad. He is the son of the highly respected former Muzaffarpur MP, Captain Jainarain Nishad (1930-2018), who was an entrepreneur and one of Muzaffarpur's earliest cooking gas dealers before entering politics.

Before the Nishads, Ramkaran Sahni, a landholding Mallah from Mushahari (Muzaffarpur), was a leader and legislator supported by former Chief Minister and 'Jannayak' Karpoori Thakur.

The Nishad Samanway Samiti, an umbrella organization representing different subcastes identifying with Mallahs and Sahanis, along with its constituent Ved Vyas Parishad, made headlines in early September 2015. The organization firmly rejected Nitish Kumar's proposal to include the community among Scheduled Tribes, which offers one percent reservation in Bihar's public employment.

Instead, the Nishad Samanway Samiti sought inclusion within Scheduled Castes, which receive 16 percent reservation in both public employment and legislative bodies. Currently, Mallahs-Nishads-Sahanis are classified under the Ati Pichhda (Extremely Backward Community).

Sahani's opportunistic political shifts

Sahani was appointed minister in Nitish Kumar's government at BJP's recommendation, despite losing his seat in the 2020 Bihar Assembly election.

He demonstrated eagerness to expand his political influence beyond Bihar.

Despite lacking grassroots support in neighboring Uttar Pradesh, Sahani fielded over 50 candidates in that state's 2022 Assembly election. All candidates lost, with many forfeiting their deposits. Sahani's persistent calls for Adityanath's government's removal turned BJP against him.

Sahani further antagonized BJP by fielding seven candidates against them in the April 4 Bihar MLC elections for 24 seats.

The BJP retaliated by fielding a candidate in the Bochaha Assembly by-election, necessitated after the death of VIP's incumbent MLA Musafir Paswan.

BJP's unforgiving stance toward Sahani became evident on March 23 when all three Bihar VIP MLAs—Raju Kumar Singh (Sahebganj), Misri Lal Yadav (Alinagar), and Swarna Singh (Gaura Bouram)—were absorbed into the BJP.

This left Sahani without any legislative representation in the Bihar assembly.

Nevertheless, Sahani remained defiant, refusing to resign from the Bihar cabinet and arguing that his party's contribution to BJP's 74-seat victory in the 2020 state election remained significant.

The paradox of Sahani

Sahani has never won an election personally, yet has experienced remarkable advancement in Bihar politics.

He first appeared campaigning for BJP during the 2015 election before switching to RJD ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. His party lost all three contested seats.

A year later, Sahani made a dramatic realignment, abruptly leaving Tejashwi Yadav's press conference in October 2020 to join the NDA just before the Assembly election. BJP allocated VIP 11 seats from its NDA quota. VIP secured four seats, though Sahani himself lost his election.

BJP appointed Sahani as a minister and granted him a legislative council position to enable his continuation in Nitish Kumar's cabinet. Given his inconsistent political record, the party limited his MLC tenure to July 2022.

Since then, Sahani has been attempting to align with the Mahagathbandhan.

The caste calculations in Bihar politics

Bihar's political landscape operates through caste alliances, with parties strategizing based on fluctuating community loyalties.

The Mahagathbandhan coalition, including RJD and Congress, recognizes the importance of securing the crucial Sahani-Nishad-Mallah voting bloc.

However, Sahani's demand for 24 seats indicates growing political consciousness among these communities. They no longer accept being peripheral participants but seek central roles, potentially transforming Bihar's electoral dynamics.

In this context, Sahani's insistence on greater seat allocation symbolizes a profound ideological struggle. It represents the aspirations of communities seeking liberation from historical subordination by OBC and upper caste leaders.

The stakes remain high; Sahani's success or failure could significantly determine Bihar's political power distribution. If the Mahagathbandhan fails to accommodate Sahani's demands, they risk alienating a critical nine percent voter base that could decisively influence the 2025 elections.