The political scene in Bihar has lately been marked by a contest between key players competing for the legacy of the socialist icon Karpoori Thakur. The two-time Bihar Chief Minister championed the principles of social justice and advocated for equal rights for the marginalised, embodying the ideals of “azadi and roti” – freedom and sustenance for all, which earned him the epithet of ‘Jan Nayak’ (people’s leader).
Known for his honesty and simplicity, Mr. Thakur, himself belonging to a minority caste, led subaltern classes across castes in his political career to emerge as a significant figure in the struggle against social discrimination.
The posthumous awarding of the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian honour, to the “beacon of social justice”, as PM Narendra Modi has called him, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections has introduced a new element to an already politically charged atmosphere. An ongoing political battle to leverage the leader’s legacy and a recent caste survey which revealed that backward classes constitute the largest social group in the State show that Mr. Thakur’s policies still resonate in contemporary Bihar politics.
