Caste, faith rule elections

Hyderabad: Upper caste voters in general have less trust in leaders outside their caste when compared with BC, Dalit and Adivasi voters, according to a study that reiterated that most voters prefer leaders from their caste or religion

In Telangana state, 48 per cent and in Andhra Pradesh 43 per cent Telugus desired leaders from their caste to be elected to powerful posts, according to a survey by the Azim Premji University (APU) and Lokniti (Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS).

The survey covered 16,680 respondents from 22 Assembly constituency across eight states.

The preference for political leaders from their own community was the highest in Madhya Pradesh at 65 per cent and from their own religion at 64 per cent. In Andhra Pradesh, 38 per cent wanted their co-religionist in high places, and Telangana state, 46 per cent. The study, Politics And Society Between Elections, 2018, found that among the non-literates, the upper caste voters in general expressed less trust in leaders outside their own groups.

Among the educated voters, Adivasi showed the least preference for an outsider Explaining the trend among voters, social scientist Anirudh Jain said that, “Indian has about 3,000 castes and 20,000 sub-castes across the states.  History has proved that a political party which relies on religion and castes wins power.”

The psychology behind whose preferring a leader from their caste and religion is to see one of their own hold power. Psychologist Shanthi Divya added, “It is known that politicians bank on voters of their own region, caste, religion. Many blindly vote anticipating financial benefits under the pretext of being from the same caste after the leader comes to power.”