PATNA: The state BJP has decided to focus on those backward castes, particularly Kushwahas , which were ignored by both RJD and JD (U). This was announced by party leaders at a programme at Ravindra Bhawan here to mark the coronation of the founder of Mauryan empire, Chandragupta Maurya.

They said the party has the support of both ‘mandal’ and ‘kamandal’ and these two forces will help the party get power in the state in 2015 assembly elections.

They were of the opinion that Chandragupta Muarya and King Ashoka, rulers of Magadh empire, were Kushwahas, which is now recognized as OBCs in Bihar , UP and MP. The programme was attended by MPs, MLAs and MLCs of the BJP belonging to Kushwaha caste who claimed they were descendants of Ashoka and Chandragupta.

Speaking on the occasion, Akhil Bharatiya Kushwaha Parishad president Suraj Nandan Kushwaha said Kushwahas have 10% population in the state, which is next to Yadavs.

Leader of opposition in the assembly Nand Kishore Yadav said Nitish surrendered before RJD president Lalu Prasad who ignored the Kushwahas and promoted his own caste leaders in politics. “BJP helped promote Samata Party floated by Nitish Kumar in 1994 by aligning the Kushwaha voters with his party. But, last year, Nitish decided to ignore Kushwaha leaders and electorate who defeated his candidates in 2014 Lok Sabha elections,” Yadav said.

Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the Congress party did not promote Kushwahas in politics, but BJP made two Kushwaha leaders MLCs and gave tickets to seven Kushwahas in the assembly elections and fielded them as its candidates in Lok Sabha elections too. State BJP chief Mangal Pandey appealed to the Kushwaha voters to support BJP in 2015 assembly elections for development of the state.

Vijay Kumar Kushwaha, who unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections from Madhepura constituency in May, alleged Kushwaha officers and political workers were harassed by the Nitish Kumar government. Benefits of reservations for OBCs are limited to Dhanuks and Kurmis only, he said.

