Caste-based mobilisation and backward class assertion have played pivotal roles in transforming electoral politics across Indian states. The caste system, deeply embedded in India’s social fabric, has long influenced the socio-political landscape. With the rise of backward class assertions, electoral politics in several states have evolved, making caste a central feature in determining political allegiance, party support, and the very structure of governance. The caste system in India is not merely a social hierarchy but has also served as a powerful tool for political mobilisation. Historically, upper-caste groups dominated the political sphere, leveraging their control over economic and social resources. However, as India progressed post-independence, the political landscape began to shift with the increasing assertion of backward and marginalized classes. This shift has been particularly noticeable in the states, where caste-based identities and demands have shaped the trajectory of state politics. The idea of caste-based mobilisation took root particularly with the rise of the backward classes’ movements, beginning in the post-independence period. The implementation of reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) was a key policy change aimed at reducing social inequality. The rise of political leaders who belonged to these backward classes, such as B.R. Ambedkar, who championed the cause of Dalits, and later leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar, and Kanshi Ram in Punjab, signaled a shift in Indian politics from being elite-driven to being more inclusive. In Uttar Pradesh, for example, the rise of the Samajwadi Party (SP) under Mulayam Singh Yadav capitalized on the political mobilization of the OBCs, particularly the Yadavs, who had been traditionally underrepresented in the political sphere. The OBCs, with their sheer numerical strength, quickly became a formidable force in state politics. This shift brought forth a major challenge to the traditional Congress party, which had been dominant in the state but failed to address the rising aspirations of the backward classes. Similarly, in Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s rise to power through the RJD was a direct result of backward caste mobilisation, particularly the assertion of the Yadavs and