Nitish Kumar in Bihar election rally: 'Quota should be proportionate to caste population'

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday backed population-based reservation for castes, but said it can only be implemented after Census data is available. Addressing a poll rally in Valmiki Nagar, he attacked the RJD over its record on law and order, and ridiculed Tejashwi Yadav's promise of 10 lakh jobs.

Valmiki Nagar Lok Sabha seat will go for by-poll on November 7. The by-election has been necessitated there due to death of JD(U) MP Baidyanath Mahto. JDU has nominated Mahto's son Sunil Kumar from the seat. Though CM Kumar did not specify if he was talking about caste-based census data, he has often demanded the 2021 census brings out that data. He has on several occasions in the past said that all castes should get reservations proportionate to their population.

WATCH HIS STATEMENT HERE: 

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Bihar assembly elections 2020

Polling in 71 seats in the first phase of Bihar assembly elections was completed on October 28, with voter turnout at 54.26%. The other two phases of the Bihar election are on November 3 and November 7, and the results will be announced on November 10. 

Incumbent Nitish Kumar is seeking reelection and is the CM face for the NDA. Mahagathbandhan has chosen Tejashwi Yadav as their CM face. The BJP is contesting on a seat-sharing formula of 121-122 seats with the JDU and Mukesh Sahni of Vikasheel Insaan party and Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM(S), while LJP will contest solo. Mahagathbandhan comprising of Congress and three left parties have are contesting on seat-sharing formula of 144-70-29 seats respectively. 

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There are two other alliances in the fray - Owaisi's AIMIM has stitched an alliance with Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP, Mayawati's BSP, Devendra Yadav's SJDD, and SBSP called 'Grand Democratic Secular Front'. The alliance has fielded Kushwaha as the chief ministerial face. Another alliance named 'Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA)', consist of Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), Chandrashekhar Azad's Azad Samaj Party, MK Faizi's Social Democratic Party and Bahujan Mukti Party. They have made Pappu Yadav their CM face.

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(PTI image)