Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar is likely to do away with the exclusion of Paswans from the Mahadalit category he had created before the 2010 Assembly elections.

According to informed sources, Nitish is likely to announce the decision on April 14 at a meeting of the Dalit Sena, an outfit of Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, to celebrate the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.

Nitish had clubbed 21 of the 22 Dalit sections and termed them Mahadalits. The only section he left out was the Paswans, of whom Ram Vilas is the acknowledged leader in Bihar. At the time (2010), the LJP chief was with Lalu Prasad and a political rival. An angry Ram Vilas had then accused Nitish of trying to drive a wedge into Dalit unity and taking revenge on Paswans because he (Ram Vilas) was a political rival.

The Mahadalits were given additional benefits in appointment as tola sevaks, and housing for the poor. Nitish had created a Mahadalit Mission to monitor developmental schemes for the category. The Mission is now virtually defunct.

Nitish's move paid dividends in the 2010 Assembly elections when he reduced both the RJD and LJP's numbers.

Jitan Ram Manjhi, in the brief period he was chief minister, had announced inclusion of Paswans in the Mahadalit umbrella in 2015, but informed sources in the government said that the notification was never issued.

Ever since Nitish rejoined the NDA, RJD leaders have needled Ram Vilas over his silence on the Mahadalit issue.

"When Nitish Kumar kept out Paswans from the Mahadalit list, Paswanji said the move was owing to political enmity. Now that they have become political friends again it is natural that the discrimination against Paswans should end," said RJD MLA Kumar Sarvajeet, a Dalit face of the party.

LJP leaders denied having any knowledge of Nitish's impending move. "But our party has always maintained that Paswans have been discriminated against by creating the Mahadalit category, which was wrong," said LJP spokesperson Arshad Ansari.

For Nitish, the Mahadalit factor has outlived its purpose politically. Dalits constitute around 15 per cent of Bihar's population, of which roughly 6 per cent are Paswans who are in sizeable numbers in several Lok Sabha and Assembly seats. Recently another Dalit mascot, Manjhi, switched loyalty to Lalu Prasad. It is time for Nitish to offer a gift to Paswans.