Bihar’s Assembly polls were officially announced on October 6. The Election Commission of India’s final roll lists 7.42 crore electors, after a Special Intensive Revision removed nearly 69 lakh entries while adding about 21.5 lakh new names.

In this charged atmosphere of voter scrutiny, promise-making, and alliance realignments, there is a quieter but evolving voice of the Musahar community. Long among Bihar’s most marginalised Dalit groups, the 4,035,787 Musahars, constituting 3.08% of the State’s population, are increasingly being seen as a distinct electoral bloc. In a State where Brahmins constitute 3.65%, Rajputs 3.45%, and Bhumihars 2.86%, the Musahars (3.08%) stand out in terms of demographic strength and are far ahead in the pace of electoral participation among historically oppre

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