Is caste the prism through which the 2025 Bihar assembly polls are to be interpreted? The more I travelled in the state this election season, it became clear that any narrow focus on caste to understand the electoral undercurrent in Bihar would only blind the viewer to the socio-political churn in the state.

This is not to argue that caste has ceased to be one of the main barometers of the electoral mood in the state. It is definitely the canvas on which the main narratives are being painted, but, this time, caste isn’t being foregrounded as it used to be for decades. It has been a determining factor in the political parties’ choice of candidates, selection of star campaigners, even party spokespersons appearing on TV, for sure. But it does not appear to be driving the discourse this time, neither in the mobilisation by the political parties nor in the discussions among the masses.

In conversations with a cross-section of the society, I observed voters placing a premium on performance of political parties in the fray, trust in leaders who are leading the campaigns, as well as promises and expected/actual delivery of benefits and social sector schemes.........

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