Yogi Adityanath: Can Hindutva Clip Caste Politics in Bihar Polls?
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during Bihar poll campaign. (Image Yogi Adityanath on X)
With just days left for the first phase of Bihar Assembly polls, the BJP is banking heavily on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Hindutva appeal to counter the Mahagathbandhan’s MY (Muslim-Yadav) arithmetic across the state’s sensitive Seemanchal belt.
By AMIT KUMAR
Patna, November 1, 2025 — With the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections just days away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unleashed its most powerful campaign weapon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Party sources confirm that Yogi will address a record number of rallies across Bihar, with a special focus on Seemanchal, the Muslim-majority belt considered electorally challenging for the BJP. His campaign began in Saharsa and has since rolled through Siwan, Purnea, and Araria — regions where the BJP hopes his Hindutva image can polarize votes in its favour.
Why Yogi Matters
Within the BJP, Yogi Adityanath is seen as the “impact multiplier” — a leader whose speeches electrify crowds and whose presence reassures the party’s core base. Strategists believe that his aggressive Hindutva positioning could cut across Bihar’s entrenched caste lines and consolidate Hindu votes in constituencies where Muslims form 35–60% of the electorate.
Political observers note that Yogi’s visibility in Bihar — nearly matching that of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah — reflects not only the BJP’s faith in his mass appeal but also the current harmony within the party’s top leadership. His recent meetings in Delhi with Modi, Shah, and party chief J.P. Nadda reinforced this perception.
The Seemanchal Strategy
Seemanchal — which includes Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, and Katihar — is a key battlefield. Despite its heavy Muslim presence, the BJP and JD(U) performed surprisingly well here in 2020, largely because of vote division caused by Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM. The party is now attempting to recreate that formula, hoping that even a modest split in Muslim votes combined with a unified Hindu bloc could swing seats in its favour.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s narrative on “ghuspaithiye” (illegal infiltrators) is also being amplified through Yogi’s speeches. While critics argue that such claims lack verifiable data, the BJP believes the issue resonates emotionally with its target voter base.
The Math Behind the Mahagathbandhan
The opposition Mahagathbandhan, led by Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), rests on the time-tested MY (Muslim-Yadav) formula. Muslims (17–18%) and Yadavs (13%) together make up about 30% of Bihar’s electorate — a formidable block when combined with the Congress and Left’s EBC and Dalit outreach. Political analysts suggest that if this alliance secures around 50% of the vote, victory would be almost certain.
The BJP’s counter-strategy, therefore, depends on turning the election into a Hindutva vs Caste battle — a narrative Yogi Adityanath is uniquely equipped to push. His persona as the builder of the Ram Temple and his law-and-order record in Uttar Pradesh are central themes in the party’s messaging.
A Test of Yogi’s National Appeal
Yogi’s campaign in Bihar is also being viewed as a test of his pan-Indian political resonance. His ability to energize crowds beyond Uttar Pradesh could cement his status as the BJP’s second-most influential campaigner after Modi — and a future national face within the party.
The final verdict will come on November 14, when the results are declared. Until then, all eyes are on Yogi Adityanath’s high-octane rallies — and whether his Hindutva card can outplay the Mahagathbandhan’s caste arithmetic in the heart of Bihar.
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