Koeri: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox ethnic groupcaste

|group caste_name = Koeri

|region1 image = [[Bihar]] =

The '''Koeri''' (spelt as '''Koiry''' or '''Koiri'''), also referred to as [[Kushwaha]] and more recently self-described as '''Maurya'''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thewire.in/politics/nitish-kumar-triveni-sangh-caste-coalition|title=Nitish Kumar's 'Triveni Sangh' of Backward Castes May Threaten BJP's Monopoly in 2024 Polls|editor=Soroor Ahmed|website=The Wire|accessdate=2 January 2023|archive-date=2 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202200228/https://thewire.in/politics/nitish-kumar-triveni-sangh-caste-coalition|url-status=live}}</ref> in several parts of northern India are an Indian non-elite<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bayly |first1=Susan |title=Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age, Part 4, Volume 3 |date=2001 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521798426 |page=200 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HbAjKR_iHogC&dq=koeri+non-elite&pg=PA200 |quote=In eastern Gangetic Hindustan, there were yet more high-farming zones where superior rent-receivers could claim to have been following a life of lordly refinement for many centuries. Here the established patricians included many co-parcenors from 'secular' or lokika Brahman groupings such as the Kanyakubjas and Sarjuparins of Awadh; these areas also contained clusters of landed Rajputs. Other Gangetic 'squireens' belonged to the north Indian status group known as Bhumihar, who had achieved a somewhat ambiguous entitlement to be regarded as Brahmans under the patronage of eighteenth-century rulers and their local deputies. In addition, some of upper India's high-farming localities contained sizable groups of elite landed Muslims; landed families of scribal and service origin who used the jati title Kayastha had also come to be included among the proprietary 'squireen' populations. In southern Awadh, eastern NWP, and much of Bihar, non-labouring gentry groups lived in tightly-knit enclaves among much larger populations of non-elite 'peasants' and labouring people. These other groupings included 'untouchable' Chamars and newly recruited 'tribal' labourers, as well as non-elite tilling and cattle keeping people who came to be known by such titles as Kurmi, Koeri and Goala/Ahir. |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202200224/https://books.google.com/books?id=HbAjKR_iHogC&dq=koeri+non-elite&pg=PA200 |url-status=live }}</ref> &nbsp;[[caste]],<ref>{{Cite news|title=उत्तर प्रदेश चुनावः कितने ताक़तवर हैं स्वामी प्रसाद मौर्य?|language=hi|work=BBC News हिंदी|url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-59967724|access-date=14 January 2022|archive-date=2 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202200224/https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-59967724|url-status=live}}</ref> found largely in [[Bihar]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]], whose traditional occupation was agriculture. According to [[Arvind Narayan Das]] they were [[horticulturist]]s rather than agriculturists.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Arvind N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UHhuAAAAMAAJ |title=The Republic of Bihar |date=1992 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-012351-7 |pages=23 |language=en}}</ref> They are also recorded as performing the work of Mahajan (rural moneylenders) in credit market of rural parts of Bihar and [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]] in 1880s.<ref name=Ram/><ref name=Chakraborty/> Koeris have attempted [[Sanskritisation]]— as part of social resurgence. During the British rule in India, Koeris were described as "agriculturalists" along with Kurmis and other cultivating castes. They are described as a [[dominant caste]] in various opinions.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVxODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT66 |last=Kumar |first=S. |year=2018 |title=Post-Mandal Politics in Bihar: Changing Electoral Patterns|place=India|publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=9789352805860 |access-date=11 March 2023 |archive-date=11 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311173417/https://books.google.com/books?id=IVxODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT66 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ew2rCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA190|first=Samaddar|last=Ranabir|year=2016|title=Government of Peace: Social Governance, Security and the Problematic of Peace|place=United Kingdom|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|isbn=9781317125389|access-date=13 March 2023|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829103157/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ew2rCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA190|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/india-news-upper-caste-leaders-back-in-circulation-in-bihar/304876|title=Upper Caste Leaders Back In Circulation In Bihar|website=outlookindia|editor=Giridhar Jha|accessdate=12 March 2023|archive-date=11 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311194416/https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/india-news-upper-caste-leaders-back-in-circulation-in-bihar/304876|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Koeris are found in [[Saran district]] and are also distributed more heterogeneously across [[Munger]], [[Banka, Bihar|Banka]], [[Khagaria]], [[Samastipur]], [[East Champaran]], [[West Champaran]] and [[Bhojpur district, India|Bhojpur]] district.<ref name="News18">{{cite web |date=30 January 2021 |title=Bihar: Nitish Kumar is Trying to Consolidate the Luv-Kush-Dhanuk Axis to Expand Social Base |url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/nitish-kumar-bihar-kurmi-koeri-electoral-base-3364709.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413103338/https://www.news18.com/news/politics/nitish-kumar-bihar-kurmi-koeri-electoral-base-3364709.html |archive-date=13 April 2021 |access-date=11 April 2021 |website=News18}}</ref> Outside India, the Koeris are distributed among the Bihari diaspora in [[Mauritius]] where they were taken as indentured labourers.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Claveyrolas |first1=Mathieu |title=The 'Land of the Vaish'? Caste Structure and Ideology in Mauritius |journal=[[Archives de Sciencessciences Socialessociales des Religionsreligions]] |date=2013 |pages=191–216 |doi=10.4000/samaj.3886 |doi-access=free }}</ref> They also have a significant population residing in [[Nepal]].

In 1977, the government of Bihar introduced an affirmative action of quota in government jobs and universities which has benefitted the backward castes like the Koeris. They are classified as a “Backward caste” or “Other Backwards Caste” under the Indian governmentsgovernment's system of positive discrimination.

Haruka Yanagisawa, Professor Emeritus of the [[University of Tokyo]] mentions in his work that Koeris along with Yadav and Kurmis were classified as upper-middle caste, who were known for their sturdy and hardy nature.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hf-VEAAAQBAJ |last=Yanagisawa|first =H.|title= Indian Economic Growth in Historical Perspective: The Roots of Development|date=23 December 2022 |place=United States|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|isbn=9781000803396 |quote= Three upper-middle castes, the Yadav, Koeri and Kurmi (designated OBC), considerably improved their economic position. "These three castes have been the major beneficiaries of the so- called Green Revolution in Bihar.... These sturdy and hardy castes, traditionally engaged in cultivation, have managed to produce more from cultivation than their upper caste counterparts".}}</ref> Koeris have traditionally been classified as a “[[shudra]]“<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sharma |first1=Shalendra |title=Development and Democracy in India |date=1999 |publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers |isbn=9781555878108 |page=157 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i4bV4cKpPlIC&pg=PA157 |quote=Upper of forward caste(brahmin thakur bania kayastha), cultivating or middle castes(jat bhumihar tyagi), lower shudra or backward caste(yadav, kurmi, lodh koeri gujar kahar gadaria teli harhai nai kachi others), scheduled castes(chamar pasis dhobi bhangi) |access-date=18 April 2022 |archive-date=18 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418013913/https://books.google.com/books?id=i4bV4cKpPlIC&pg=PA157 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Omvedt |first=Gail |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wlxb0uacnRcC |title=Reinventing Revolution: New Social Movements and the Socialist Tradition in India |date=18 June 1993 |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |isbn=978-0-7656-3176-3 |pages=58 |language=en |quote=But in eastern U.P. and Bihar, marked much more by landlordism and within this the domination of the "twice-born" upper castes (brahmans, bhumihars, and rajputs), even the "shudra" peasant castes (kurmis, koeris, and yadavas) were cruelly subordinated, and there had been little of a broad anticaste movement. |access-date=15 August 2020 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202200227/https://books.google.com/books?id=Wlxb0uacnRcC |url-status=live }}</ref> caste and today Koeris have attempted [[Sanskritisation]]—the attempt by traditionally middle and low castes to rise up the social ladder, often by tracing their origins to mythical characters or following the lifestyle of higher ''[[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]'', such as following [[vegetarianism]], secluding women, or wearing ''[[Upanayana|Janeu]]'', the sacred thread.<ref name="Jayapalan2001">{{cite book|author=N. Jayapalan|title=Indian society and social institutions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AumuJ2jtRZIC&pg=PA428|access-date=17 January 2013|year=2001|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distri|isbn=978-81-7156-925-0|page=428}}</ref> The Sanskritising trend in castes of northern India, including that of the Koeris, was inspired by the [[Vaishnavism|vaishnavite]] tradition, as attested by their bid to seek association with avatars of [[Vishnu]]. Author William Pinch wrote:

Some [[Kushwaha]] reformers like Ganga Prasad Gupta in [[Banaras]] argued the Koeris descended from [[Kusha]] and that they served Raja [[Jayachandra]] in their military capacity during the period of Muslim consolidation under [[Muhammad of Ghor|Shuhabuddin Ghuri]]. He argued further that after defeat, the fear of persecution at the hands of Muslims caused the Kusvaha Kshatriya to flee into the forest in disarray and discard their sacred threads, so as not to appear as erstwhile defenders of Hinduism. The British ethnographer [[Herbert Hope Risley]] recorded various Koeri origin myths in the 1890s. According to one of them, [[Shiva]] and [[Parvati]] created Koeri and [[Kachhi (caste)|Kachhi]] to take care of vegetables and their flower gardens in Banaras. Writing eighty years later, [[Francis Buchanan-Hamilton]] records that Koeris of Bihar were followers of [[Dashanami Sampradaya]] while those of Gorakhpur and Ayodhya looked towards [[Ramanandi Sampradaya|Ramanandi]] saints for spiritual guidance.<ref>{{cite book |title=Peasants and monks in British India |first=William R. |last=Pinch |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-520-20061-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uEP-ceGYsnYC|page=92}}</ref>

In the early 19th century in the [[Gaya district]], Koeris were recorded by Francis Buchanan as a community of "ploughing tribes" consisting primarily of poor and middle peasants. It was however noted that in his survey, Buchanan had neglected an upper crust among them, which had accumulated and hoarded cash and had emerged as moneylenders forwarding ''Kamiauti'' advances to acquire dependent labour. Oral testimonies from the colonial period indicates that by the end of 19th century, Koeris in the Gaya district included rich peasants, who had acquired material wealth by improving land relation and extending market relations. This enabled them to forward advances to the dependent labourers in order to bring them under debt bondage and ''Kamia-Malik'' relationship.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQFvks7lahoC&pg=PA162|title=Bonded Histories Genealogies of Labor Servitude in Colonial India|issn=0575-6863|author=Gyan Prakash|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2003|isbn=0521526582|pages=162–163|access-date=21 June 2022|archive-date=22 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622094620/https://books.google.com/books?id=MQFvks7lahoC&pg=PA162|url-status=live}}</ref> According to author Bindeswar Ram, who studied rural credit market of 1880s in region such as Bengal and Bihar, Koeris worked as Mahajan or moneylenders alongside Bania and [[Sunar|Sonar]] caste in rural areas. Ram mentions that these social groups acted both as prosperous peasant proprietors as well as rural credit market agent by forwarding credit to tenants (''Raiyat''). By 1885, when the price of land surged, they started increasing their landholdings through purchase. There also witnessed increased transfer of the land of tenants by these social groups, when they mortgaged their land for credit. Ram also mentioned that after 1885, due to increase in registration of land under law and growing prices of land, the bargaining power of these groups, acting as moneylenders increased tremendously.<ref name=Ram>{{cite book|last=Ram|first=B.|year=1997|title= Land and Society in India: Agrarian Relations in Colonial North Bihar|place= India|publisher=Orient Longman|page=69|isbn=9788125006435 |accessdate=29 August 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2b_j0mNe2FwC&pg=PA69|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829103244/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2b_j0mNe2FwC&pg=PA69&dq=|url-status=live}}</ref>

Malabika Chakrabarti also mentions that better-off peasants of Koeri caste in region of South Bihar supplemented their income from cultivation by working as Mahajan or moneylenders. She also notes that they also involved the local [[Bhuiya]] population in bonded labour system by forwarding ''Kamiauti'' advances (a kind of loan) to them. These Koeri Mahajans, according to Chakraborty, were most stringent in terms of their advances to [[Bhuiya]].<ref name=Chakraborty>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J3R6umYMROsC&pg=PA99|last=Chakrabarti|first=M.|year=2004|title= The Famine of 1896-1897 in Bengal: Availabilty Or Entitlement Crisis?.|place= India|publisher=Orient BlackSwan|page=99|isbn=9788125023890 |accessdate=29 August 2023|archive-date=29 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829103158/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=J3R6umYMROsC&pg=PA99&dq=|url-status=live}}</ref>

In post independence India, Koeris have been classified as [[Upper Backward Castes|upper strata of Backward Castes]] by virtue of being part of the group of four of the [[Other Backward Class|OBC]] communities in [[Bihar]], who acquired land overtime, adopted improved agricultural technology and attained political power to become a class of rising ''[[Kulak]]s'' in the agricultural society of India.<ref name="BergerHeidemann2013">{{cite book | author = Carolyn Brown Heinz | editor1 = Peter Berger | editor2 = Frank Heidemann | date = 3 June 2013 | title = The Modern Anthropology of India: Ethnography, Themes and Theory | publisher = Routledge | pages = | isbn = 978-1-134-06118-1 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=sQF5-d9BMqcC&pg=PT48 | quote = The four dominant high caste groups (the forward castes)-Brahman, Bhumihar, Rajput, Kayastha-together constitute about 12 percent of the population. These are the old elite, from whose numbers came the major zamindars and land owning castes. The so-called Backward castes consisting of about half the population of Bihar, were further classified soon after independence into Upper Backward and Lower Backwards(Blair 1980). The upper backwards - Bania , Yadav, Kurmi and Koiri - constitute about 19 percent of the population, and now include most of the rising Kulak class of successful peasants who have acquired land, adopted improved agricultural technology, and become a powerful force in Bihar politics. This is true, above all, of the Yadavas. The lower backwards are shudra castes such as Barhi, Dhanuk, Kahar, Kumhar, Lohar, MallahMallaah, Teli etc, about 32 percent of the population. The largest components of the scheduled castes(14 percent) are the Dusadh, Chamar, and Musahar, the Dalit groups who are in many parts of the statelocked in struggles for land and living wages and living wages with the rich peasants and landlords of the forward and upper backward castes | access-date = 15 June 2022 | archive-date = 14 June 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220614220553/https://books.google.com/books?id=sQF5-d9BMqcC&pg=PT48 | url-status = live }}</ref> The diversification in occupation of the Koeri caste in post independence India is shown by studies in select villages of North Bihar. In his paper, called ''Land and caste relation'', Awanish Kumar's study of select villages of West Champaran and [[Samastipur district]] of North Bihar revealed that in some of these villages, Koeri and Yadav caste have become dominant over the time, leaving behind old elite groups, such as [[Bhumihar]]s. Kumar's study found that both these caste compete for political power in these zones and a few Koeri families, who are economically sound, also own the local [[Primary Agricultural Credit Societies]] and [[Public Distribution System]]. However, intra-caste differentiation in Koeris was also high, as not all Koeri households in villages under study shared the prosperity attained by some of their clan members.The study also presented a differentiated pattern of control over land and resources, as, in some quarters, caste like Koeri and Yadav were dominant, while in others, Bhumihar caste still had control over significant amount of cultivable land.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Land and Caste Relations in North Bihar: Observations from Two Villages|last=

In some regions of [[Uttar Pradesh]], many of the Koeris were also involved in the occupation of [[weaving]] along with members of the [[MallahMallaah]] caste and produce cloth for local use.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Raman |first1=Vasanthi |title=The Warp and the Weft: Community and Gender Identity Among the Weavers of Banaras |date=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781136518003 |page=109 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BIFpa2Oea3sC&dq=koeris+weavers&pg=PA109 |quote=The fact that weavers in Banaras are still predominantly Muslim (particularly in the highly skilled silk weaving domain) and the traders and buyers still predominantly Hindu constitutes the basis for interdependence between the two communities. However, many Hindu lower-caste groups (particularly Koeris, MallahsMallaahs, Mauryas, and even Yadavs) and some Dalit groups have also taken to the occupation of weaving. The large majority of Momin Ansaris are still ordinary weavers, trying to eke out a livelihood in very straitened circumstances. |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202200224/https://books.google.com/books?id=BIFpa2Oea3sC&dq=koeris+weavers&pg=PA109 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Bijnor |date=1989 |publisher=Government of Uttar Pradesh |page=56 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=54sbAAAAIAAJ&q=koeris+weavers |access-date=14 May 2022 |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514110507/https://books.google.com/books?id=54sbAAAAIAAJ&q=koeris+weavers |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Kshatriya reform movement in the middle peasant castes which took place during 1890s turned rural Bihar into an arena of conflict. William Pinch claims that castes like the Koeris, the Kurmi, and the Yadav joined the [[British Indian Army]] as soldiers. The ''kshatriyatva'' or "essence of being [[kshatriya]]", was characterised by aggressiveness among these castes, which led to the formation of many caste armies resulting in intercaste conflict.<ref name="George">{{cite book |title=Rebels From the Mud Houses: Dalits and the Making of the Maoist Revolution ... |page=209,210 |first=George |last=kunnath |publisher=Taylor and Francis group |location=New york |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-138-09955-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JkcrDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA209 |access-date=29 May 2020 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202201927/https://books.google.com/books?id=JkcrDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA209 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the early twentieth century, the Koeri and their sub-caste the [[Murao]] participated in the politics of the [[Kisan Sabha (1919-1922)|Kisan Sabha]], which worked for the peasants' cause against the ill effects of [[landlordism]] and the 1920 Gandhian [[Non-cooperation movement (1919–22)|non-cooperation movement]]. These peasant castes, which had a long tradition of independence and caste solidarity, founded the Kisan Sabhas, which later became instrumental in supporting peasant causes. The traditional method of Nai-Dhobi band—disallowing of service of washermen and barbers to enforce the sanctions on the landlords and use of their robust caste panchayats—became a symbol of this peasant movement. Koeri leader [[Mata Badal Koeri]] became a founding leader of ''Oudh Kisan Sabha'' (Awadh Farmers Conference) along with [[Baba Ram Chandra]]. Large numbers of Koeris participated in the Awadh Kisan Conference of 1920, which was held in Ayodhya.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-A2oDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT210|title=The Rise and Fall of Modern Empires, Volume IV: Reactions to Colonialism|year=2016|place= United Kingdom|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|pages=210–211|isbn=9781351882675|access-date=22 July 2023|archive-date=22 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722130106/https://books.google.com/books?id=-A2oDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT210|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Hardiman|first= D|year=2021|title= Noncooperation in India: Nonviolent Strategy and Protest, 1920-22|place=United States|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|page=74|isbn= 978-0-19-754830-1|accessdate=19 July 2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=47IYEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA73|archive-date=22 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722104609/https://books.google.com/books?id=47IYEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA73|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U82GAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA194|page=194|last=Menon|first=V|year=2003|title=From Movement To Government: The Congress in the United Provinces, 1937-42|place= India|publisher=SAGE Publications.|isbn=9788132103684|access-date=22 July 2023|archive-date=22 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722104609/https://books.google.com/books?id=U82GAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA194|url-status=live}}</ref>

In later years, the Koeris remained in a muted position for a long period in politics or played a secondary role, while the Yadav-centric politics of [[Lalu Prasad Yadav|Laloo Yadav]] flourished in Bihar. However, after the formation of the [[Samta Party]] (now [[Janata Dal (United)]]) by [[Nitish Kumar]], they voted en masse for [[Samta Party|Samta]]. Its alliance showed that political parties in Bihar are identified with caste and the Samta Party was considered the party of Koeri-Kurmi community.<ref>{{cite book|title=City, Society, and Planning: Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=odCJoIaDqZ0C&q=koeri+bihar+politics&pg=PA400|first=Baleshwar|last=Thakur|location=University of Akron. Department of Geography & Planning, Association of American Geographers|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=2007|isbn=978-8180694608|access-date=16 June 2020|archive-date=2 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202201931/https://books.google.com/books?id=odCJoIaDqZ0C&q=koeri+bihar+politics&pg=PA400|url-status=live}} While Samta with its leader Nitish is considered to be the party of Koeri-Kurmi, Bihar people's party led by Anand Mohan is perceived to be a party having sympathy and support of Rajputs.</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Caste and Democratic Politics in India|first=Ghanshyam|last=Shah|publisher=Orient Blackswan|year=2004|isbn=8178240955|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Aou17T8KaEEC&q=caste+and+bihar+politics&pg=PA346|access-date=18 June 2020|archive-date=21 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421095002/https://books.google.com/books?id=Aou17T8KaEEC&q=caste+and+bihar+politics&pg=PA346|url-status=live}}</ref> Until the 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, Koeris were well represented in [[Janata Dal (United)]]. Out of twenty Koeri legislators elected to 243 membered Bihar Legislative Assembly, eleven were from JDU.<ref>{{cite news |title=कुशवाहा राजनैतिक विचार मंच का अभियान 5 से - Patna News |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/bihar/patna/news/campaign-from-kushwaha-political-forum-to-5-043550-3316132.html |work=Dainik Bhaskar |language=hi |date=1 December 2018 |access-date=4 June 2024}}</ref>

*[[Sumitra Devi (politician)|Sumitra Devi]], first women cabinet minister of Bihar, several times Member of IndianBihar ParliamentLegislative Assembly, mother-in-law of former Lok Sabha speaker [[Meira Kumar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aajtak.in/education/photo/education-upa-president-candidate-meira-kumar-unknown-facts-education-family-all-details-480843-2017-06-24|title=मीरा कुमार से जड़ी वो बातें, जो आपको हैरान करने के लिए काफी हैं|website=AajTak|date=24 June 2017|language=Hindi|accessdate=15 April 2023|quote=She met Manjul Kumar while studying law. Manjul belonged to the political family of Bihar. His mother Sumitra Devi was a Congress leader. They came from Koeri caste, which is categorised as OBC in Bihar, while Meira was a Dalit.|archive-date=14 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414211125/https://www.aajtak.in/education/photo/education-upa-president-candidate-meira-kumar-unknown-facts-education-family-all-details-480843-2017-06-24|url-status=live}}</ref>

*[[Jagdish Mahto]], the founder of [[Naxalism]] in the state of Bihar. He was the leader of [[1970 Bhojpur uprising]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=S.|year=2015|title=Ruled Or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar|publisher=  Bloomsbury Publishing|quote= He saw an upper caste Bhumihar man rig the booth in favour of Rajdev Ram. Bhumihars had long been waiting to teach a lesson to this 'fearless and highheaded' Jagdish, a Koeri. }}</ref>

*[[Upendra Nath Verma]], a Freedom Fighter, participated in [[Indian Independence movement]]. He served as a Union Minister in the cabinet of [[Vishwanath Pratap Singh]].<ref>{{Cite web|title='Lenin' waits wrapped in plastic|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/bihar/lenin-waits-wrapped-in-plastic/cid/1668125|access-date=9 September 2021|website=www.telegraphindia.com|archive-date=15 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715023500/https://www.telegraphindia.com/bihar/lenin-waits-wrapped-in-plastic/cid/1668125|url-status=live}}</ref>