The Kurmi Chetna rally organized at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on 12 February 1994 proved to be a historic and decisive turning point in the politics of Bihar. This rally changed the temperature of state politics and forever affected the political relations between the two prominent leaders of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar. The stage of the rally became a place where Nitish Kumar raised his voice and advocated for the rights of not only the Kurmi community, but the overall backward castes of the state with powerful words like ‘Bhik nahin, bheeshdari chahiye’.
This event was not just a rally, but it presented Nitish Kumar in a new political form and started a new struggle in Bihar under his leadership. The Kurmi Chetna Rally challenged the political convention of that time, where on one hand Lalu Prasad Yadav was busy strengthening the vote bank of Yadavs, while on the other hand Nitish Kumar talked about the rights of other OBC communities. This rally made it clear that a new equation was now being formed in the political scenario of Bihar, where Nitish Kumar was establishing his identity as a leader who, beyond casteism, had the courage to raise voice for all the backward castes of the state.
This historic event of Kurmi Chetna Rally not only became a symbol of a big political upsurge, but it was also an indication that the old faces and equations of politics in Bihar were about to change.
The organizer of the rally was Satish Kumar Singh, who had mobilized the Kurmi community across Bihar. This rally was mainly organized to demand implementation of the principle of ‘Quota within Quota’ in OBC reservation. The Kurmi community, which was troubled by the increasing influence of the Yadavs at this time, wanted a specific quota to be given for them among the OBCs. This rally presented Nitish Kumar in a new political form and emerged as a strong alternative against Lalu Yadav.
On the day of the rally, Nitish Kumar faced a dilemma. He already held an important position in the Janata Dal led by Lalu Yadav, but he had gradually become dissatisfied due to Lalu continuously taking decisions in favor of Yadavs and ignoring the rights of other OBC communities. This was a difficult time for Nitish, because if he had supported the government, he would have faced public opposition, and if he decided to speak against the government, his political future could have been in jeopardy.
However, his friend Vijay Krishna motivated him and encouraged him to join the rally. As the crowd at the rally increased, Nitish Kumar decided to come on stage. At first he tries to take the government’s side, but when the crowd’s resistance to his words increases, he changes his stance and says loudly, “Not begging, we want a share.” These words not only changed the atmosphere of that day’s rally, but it was also the beginning of a new political era for Nitish Kumar. He not only criticized the government’s policies regarding OBC reservation, but also raised questions on the issue of poor law and order and administration in Bihar. This speech made him a hero of the Kurmi community and established his identity as an important leader.
After this incident, Nitish Kumar now had serious doubts and dissatisfaction about his position within the Janata Dal. He started feeling that his importance in the party was gradually decreasing and his role was becoming limited due to the personal influence of Lalu Yadav. After this, Nitish decided to leave the party. In April 1994, he made a public statement against Lalu Yadav in the Janata Dal Parliamentary Board meeting held in Delhi. When George Fernandes offered him a compromise, Nitish Kumar rejected it. Subsequently, George Fernandes formed a new party named Janata Dal George with his 12 MPs, and within a few months transformed it into Samata Party.
The formation of Samata Party was going to give rise to new political possibilities in Bihar. This party became an important force in OBC politics under the leadership of Nitish Kumar against Lalu Yadav. Although Lalu Yadav’s popularity and his MY equation (Muslims and Yadavs) were strong in Bihar, the Samata Party attracted other OBC communities like Kurmi and Koeri. This was the reason why Lalu Yadav got a big victory in the 1995 assembly elections, but he lost the non-Yadav votes among the OBCs, especially the Kurmi and Koeri communities. This vote had now shifted towards Nitish Kumar, indicating major changes in the state’s politics in the future.
Nitish Kumar had to wait longer to get power in Bihar. He faced defeat in many elections until becoming the Chief Minister in 2005. But as a strategic leader Nitish Kumar established himself with time and implemented his demand “quota within quota” in OBC reservation. He implemented sub-quota for extremely backward people and Mahadalit sub-quota for Dalits, which was a historic step in the politics of Bihar. In this way Nitish Kumar took his political journey to a new level.
In this way, the Kurmi Chetna Rally not only established Nitish Kumar as an alternative, but it was also the beginning of a new trend in the politics of Bihar. This proved that there was a need for a change in caste politics, and Nitish Kumar played a role in bringing about that change.