Bihar is still less Hindutva-oriented than other States: Ashish Ranjan

Published on July 28, 2025. As Bihar prepares for the 2025 Assembly election, a new voter list revision has sparked controversy, with fears that it could leave out Muslims, women, and marginalised castes. In this episode of Frontline Conversations, Ashish Ranjan, founder of the Data Action Lab for Emerging Societies, talks about what the data actually says and what it means for democracy in India. After spending two months on the ground in Bihar, Ashish questions claims of Aadhaar-related fraud, explains the role of caste in local politics, and talks about why Hindutva hasn’t fully taken hold in the State. He also discusses Nitish Kumar’s decline, Prashant Kishor’s entry, and what the 2025 election means for both the BJP and the RJD. Context: The Election Commission’s voter list update in Bihar has raised concerns about its timing, the Aadhaar requirement, and the risk of leaving out vulnerable voters. With Nitish Kumar losing ground and new parties stepping in, Bihar’s future is uncertain and could impact politics across the country. Chapters: 00:00 – Intro and Bihar election concerns 01:04 – Aadhaar vs population mismatch 01:32 – Voter list revision timing 02:36 – Census delay and data gaps 03:56 – Data sources and discrepancies 08:35 – EC actions and possible agenda 10:55 – Role of ECI and voter inclusion 14:38 – Nitish Kumar and Bihar’s unique politics 20:47 – Nitish’s decline and EBC vote 24:19 – Bihar’s unresolved struggles Highlights: -Why Aadhaar-linked voter roll revision may be targeting the wrong communities -The real numbers behind Bihar’s alleged “Aadhaar fraud” districts -How exclusion is replacing inclusion in India’s electoral process -Nitish Kumar’s shrinking base and the future of his EBC-women coalition -The BJP’s Bihar dilemma and its struggle to lead without allies -Prashant Kishor’s outsider strategy and the limits of electoral engineering -What Bihar’s caste dynamics reveal about power, representation, and resistance -Why Hindutva still doesn’t dominate Bihar and what that means for 2025 Perfect for: -Anyone following Indian elections, especially in the Hindi belt -Political journalists and researchers -Viewers interested in caste, democracy, and voter rights Credits: Host: Saba Naqvi Produced by Vitasta Kaul and Vedaant Lakhera Editor: Razal Pareed Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... Follow us on: Facebook - / frontlineindia Twitter - / frontline_india Instagram - / frontline.magazine LinkedIn - / frontline-magazine-b12921295